“It’s almost like we gave the ball to Kelsey and just tried to watch her work. And it’s not when we’re at our best. Yes, we want her to have the ball, but we need movement with and without the ball. And it was getting stuck,” Stephanie White explained, emphasizing the need to diversify the offense to prevent stagnation.
Stephanie White warns about the Fever overreliance on a $249,244 star while Clark remains absent
The Fever recorded 21 assists in the game, nine from Mitchell, while Sophie Cunningham contributed six.
The absence of key point guards such as Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson, both out for the season due to injuries, along with Caitlin Clark ongoing recovery, has left the team in a critical situation.
The defeat marked the Fever second consecutive loss, dropping them to seventh place with an 18-16 record, only 1.5 games ahead of the ninth seed, putting their playoff hopes in jeopardy.
Kelsey Mitchell: the Fever lifeline
Despite the criticism, Stephanie White praised Mitchell for her ability to step up and keep the team afloat during challenging moments.
“Kelsey is simply an incredible player. I’m incredibly proud of her because every time we’ve had a setback or injury, we’ve had to rely on her more and more. Not just to score, but also to create plays,” the coach said.
Mitchell is averaging 20.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game this season, establishing herself as the Fever most reliable player.
Her performance will be crucial as the team awaits Clark return before the end of the regular season.
