Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White gave Kelsey Mitchell her well-deserved flowers after a scoring milestone.
On Thursday, Indiana kicked off their WNBA Commissioner’s Cup title defense with an 83-71 win over the Atlanta Dream.
The Fever was spearheaded by Mitchell, who put up 25 points, two assists and two steals.
This offensive explosion by the three-time WNBA All-Star also helped her reach the 5,000-point milestone.
Following this victory, coach White gave Mitchell her well-deserved credit during their locker room celebrations.
“Okay, y’all, first things first," White said in her postgame speech. "Kelsey Mitchell, 5,000 points!”
Mitchell was the first person White praised after their big win, and rightfully so.
Right after White's acknowledgment, the whole squad cheered for Mitchell and shouted her name repeatedly. The veteran guard responded by telling her teammates that, "I love you, guys."
It was Mitchell’s second-highest-scoring performance this season, as she recorded 30 points against the Dallas Wings on May 9.
Mitchell was backed up by Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark, who finished with 19 points and 17 points, respectively.
White then underscored that the whole team played well and used the home crowd’s energy to their advantage.
“That’s how we play. That is the standard,” she said. “You know what it felt like, right? You know what it looked like. That is how we play.”
Lastly, White reminded the squad to always stick to their game plan and execute it properly to always give them the chance to win.
“More than anything, I just want to remember what this felt like,” she stated. “... What it felt out there when we were out there for each other, okay? Because that is the standard.”
Indiana recorded their fifth win of the season, improving their record to 5-4 and, more importantly, halting their two-game skid.
The Fever will continue their Commissioner’s Cup campaign on Saturday against the New York Liberty at the Barclays Center.
