The Indiana Fever just can’t catch a break. After back-to-back losses, they seemed to be back on track with a win over Chicago, only to suffer a gut-wrenching one-point defeat to Dallas. The biggest culprit? A shortage of guards and star playmaker Caitlin Clark watching from the bench.

Without a true point guard to run the offense, the Fever are scoring but also making costly mistakes. They committed 17 turnovers against Dallas alone. The team has added Kyra Lambert and veteran Odyssey Sims, but still relies heavily on their existing core. As a result, the brunt of playmaking has fallen on Kelsey Mitchell’s shoulders. She admits it is a challenge the team had no choice but to face.

During their first day of practice with guard Kyra Lambert, as they gear up to face Washington, Mitchell revealed her experience as the conductor of the Fever offense. “I think Steph [Stephanie White] does a good job with not even making it a big deal. I like to think that the player I am, and who I try to be, doesn’t make it a big deal. I’m just trying to make the right plays and not think too much into it. And then from there, you still be yourself,” Mitchell said.

She also added that the Fever roster is confident in making adjustments and going through with them. “I think the confidence that Steph installed in us as a group will be there. So when we make adjustments, we don’t want our confidence to waver. I think she’s given enough confidence to adjust and make plays the way I see fit,” said the Indiana Fever player. With Caitlin Clark out of the mix for an indefinite amount of time, this responsibility falls on Mitchell’s shoulders for the time being.

How has Caitlin Clark’s teammate performed in her role?

Kelsey Mitchell remains the offensive spearhead for the Fever, averaging 20 points per game. Even with added responsibilities in the Chicago and Dallas matchups, her scoring touch stayed intact. She poured in 26 points against the Sky and 24 against the Wings. But Dallas found a way to disrupt her playmaking rhythm. Against Angel Reese’s squad, Mitchell dished out 8 assists, yet versus Paige Bueckers and company, she managed only two.

That extra playmaking burden showed in crunch time. Indiana trailed by 12 entering the fourth quarter but stormed back with an 11-0 run in just three minutes to cut the deficit to a single point. With the final possession in their hands, Mitchell took a heavily contested shot that clanged off the side of the backboard, ending the Fever’s comeback hopes.

Though the loss came by just one point, it dealt a serious blow to their playoff positioning. Now 18-15 with eleven games remaining, the Fever must regroup quickly and stack wins to secure a stronger seed heading into the postseason. And Kelsey Mitchell will play a major role in that.