What looked like a routine win on paper turned into a tough night for the Indiana Fever. Caitlin Clark and her squad couldn’t keep their momentum going against the Golden State Valkyries. In front of a packed Chase Center crowd of 18,000, the Valkyries stormed back from a 13-point deficit to steal the win. A remarkable win for the newly found franchise. Stephanie White’s leadership abilities were certainly missed last night. After the game, Kelsey Mitchell shared her perspective on what really led to the disappointing result.

The Valkyries came into the sitting at 5-6 to start the season. But that wasn’t all. They were missing 5 key players to the Eurobasket, including the likes of Temi Fagbenle, Cecilia Zandalasini, and Janelle Salaun. On paper, it was a game that the Fever should’ve controlled. And they did just that. They came out firing in the first quarter, outscoring the Valkyries by 9. But from that point on, the tide turned.

The Valkyries settled in, adjusted their game plan, and methodically clawed their way back. In her first season as head coach of the Valkyries, Natalie Nakase is already making a mark with her defensive mindset. Against the Indiana Fever, her team turned up the pressure in the second half, forcing multiple turnovers and disrupting Clark’s rhythm. While it wasn’t a career night for rookie guard Kate Martin, she provided solid minutes off the bench, continuing to show why she’s become a trusted rotation player in her first WNBA season.

The final quarter was the final nail in the coffin. Golden State scored 33 points in the final quarter, 15 points more than the Fever. So what caused this? Well, Kelsey Mitchell had her say on this!

In the post-game conference, Mitchell said, “They’re going to be aggressive. And I think we allowed it. We kind of tucked our tail a little bit tonight on the aggression side, and I think that’s our downfall right now. We have to learn how to see runs for what they are–that’s one thing. But be aggressive and stop being so soft. I think, as a group, we just collectively allow too much.”

As Mitchell says, the Fever were just not aggressive enough. They allowed Golden State to get 12 fast-break points, which was twice as many as Indiana managed. Turnovers were another issue, with the Fever giving the ball away 17 times compared to just 7 from the Valkyries. But perhaps the biggest concern of the night was Caitlin Clark’s performance.

Clark, who has been incredible since returning from injury, was held to just 11 points on 3-of-14 shooting from the field. Quite surprising! This is the same player who had  52 points in her last two games. To make matters worse, she went 0-for-6 from three-point range. Not the kind of performance you would have expected from a potential MVP candidate. Clark took time to reflect on her team’s performance after the game. Let’s take a look at what she had to say!

Caitlin Clark talks about the loss to the Golden State Valkyries

The Fever led by 6 points going into halftime. But things changed quickly. Golden State closed the third quarter on a 14-5 run and followed it up with a 9-2 run to start the fourth. Backed by a full house crowd at Chase Center, the Valkyries seized all the momentum and never looked back, powering their way to a commanding 88-77 comeback win. A statement victory! Clark, who didn’t have the greatest of nights, gave her thoughts about the loss.

“I didn’t think we got much better tonight,” Clark said. “But, you know, the good thing about this league is you play another game a couple days, so we’ll learn from this and get better.”

This loss stings, but it’s part of the Fever’s journey. With young stars like Clark and Aliyah Boston alongside veterans like Mitchell, they’re chasing their first playoff berth since 2016. Games like this show their growing pains, but also their potential. Mitchell’s push for a tougher mindset is key as they build a team ready to compete with the WNBA’s best.

Up next for the Fever? A tough test against the Las Vegas Aces. It’s a chance to redeem themselves, but the game won’t be easy. With the likes of DeWanna Bonner and coach Stephanie White still out due to personal reasons, the match becomes all the more difficult. Do you think the Fever can beat the Aces? Let us know down in the comments.