Game 4 in Indiana was the perfect example of why Stephanie White’s team shouldn’t be counted out. No Caitlin Clark? No problem! Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston made sure that her absence wasn’t felt. After being down 2-1 in the series, the Fever fought Las Vegas to clinch the equalizer at home, setting up quite an interesting climax to this hard-fought series. However, a major narrative before this game was Mitchell’s role in the Fever offense.

To put it simply, Indiana needed her to take over. Although she dropped 21 points in Game 3, her shooting efficiency was all over the place, prompting analysts to wonder if she can really fill the Caitlin Clark-sized gap in the Fever lineup. WNBA analyst and reporter Noa Dalzell discussed this topic in detail on the show WNBA Today on CLNS. “And I also thought defensively, [The Las Vegas Aces] did a really good job on Kelsey Mitchell, who has been one of the most consistent scorers in the WNBA this season.” She said.

Going 8-for-26 from the field, regardless of your total points, means that there was something wrong. Which, quite frankly, the Fever couldn’t live with this deep into the postseason. “She was forced into so many difficult shots. She looked a little bit demoralized to me with the shots that she was able to get off, especially in the second half.” Dalzell pointed out. However, even though Mitchell struggled quite a lot, the five-foot-eight guard still drew the defense’s attention the entire game.

The thing about Mitchell, especially this season, is that she’s been playing at an MVP-level. She has the same kind of aura around her that A’ja Wilson and even Caitlin Clark did when we talk about how defenses collapse around the best player. So, Noa Dalzell stressed the importance of stopping the Aces backcourt, while also bringing up the responsibility that is on Kelsey Mitchell’s shoulders. “I hate to put it on Kelsey Mitchell, but she’s gonna have to go off because her ability to put up crazy numbers is a big reason why Indiana got to this point.” She said, and it’s true!

After Caitlin Clark was ruled out for the season, no one thought Stephanie White’s team could make it to the semifinals. But Mitchell? She put the team on her back. However, she didn’t look 100% comfortable in Game 3, and her game can definitely be better. “There is so much pressure. She’s the focal point of the scouting report as she should be. And in this game it just was too much to overcome.” The analyst explained.

And it seems like Mitchell was listening! As Indiana faced the sharp axe of elimination, both KMitch and Aliyah Boston stepped up at a crucial moment. Let’s take a look at how everything went down for the Fever in their 90-83 win over Las Vegas.

Kelsey Mitchell’s offensive masterclass leads Indiana to Game 5

“Kelsey has had to be a high-volume scorer for the Indiana Fever her entire career.” Running any team’s offense through just one person is a bad thing–it gives defenses more time to adapt, form strategies, and create contingencies. However, KMitch has been scoring almost all the points for Indiana out of sheer necessity over the last couple of months. CC wasn’t fit, and Stephanie White needed someone to spearhead the offense. It’s a familiar role for the five-foot-eight guard, who had done this before the Fever’s resurgence over the last couple of years.

But, for the first time in quite a while, her efficiency was called into question. High-volume scorers are supposed to take a lot of shots so that quite a few go in, but their volume always matters more than efficiency. Still, Mitchell was quick to put all of the criticism to rest!

In a solid Game 4 matchup against the Las Vegas Aces, Kelsey Mitchell popped off with 25 points, shooting 9-for-20 from the field, and 2-of-5 from three–the efficiency that we were all hunting for. Not only that, as soon as the defense started doubling her, Mitchell got her teammates involved under the rim, totaling 4 assists from the floor general.

It was a solid production that gave Indiana a lot of momentum headed into Game 5. Sure, they’re not at full strength, but Becky Hammon can’t come into their house and expect to take two straight games, right? It will be quite interesting to see how the series finale will unfold, and whether KMitch can keep up the good work on the hard wood floor.