Kelsey Mitchell came out firing Tuesday night as the Indiana Fever faced the Toronto Tempo. The veteran guard scored 16 points in the first quarter alone, then reached 20 points in the third quarter to extend her streak of games with at least 20 points to 20.
Mitchell finished with 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting, along with three rebounds and two assists, as Indiana defeated Toronto 101-95. The victory gave the Fever their fifth consecutive win and improved their record to 24-12 with eight games remaining in the regular season.
There was some concern late in the game, however, when Mitchell headed toward the locker room. She was notably absent from the floor in the fourth quarter before eventually being seen leaving for the locker room.
Stephanie White Provides Kelsey Mitchell Injury Update
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The initial update from Fever coach Stephanie White was encouraging. Mitchell appeared to have simply overheated in the second consecutive game played in a hot environment, rather than suffering a serious injury.
“Seems like she just got overheated,” White said. “Still kind of taking the day to day with her, but good that she’s doing stuff and feeling better” (h/t Tony East of Forbes Sports).
White also said it was the second straight hot game environment for the Fever. There were no concerns that White was aware of regarding rhabdomyolysis, according to Chloe Peterson of IndyStar.
That is particularly good news for Indiana considering Mitchell is the Fever’s leading scorer and has been central to their remarkable turnaround. She has consistently provided a reliable scoring option alongside Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, with her ability to create offense making her difficult to replace.
Indiana cannot afford to lose Mitchell for an extended period with the playoffs approaching. The Fever continue their road trip with a demanding three-game stretch Thursday against the Dallas Wings, New York Liberty and Chicago Sky, all within four days.
