The Indiana Fever are catching fire at just the right time. Riding a 5-game win streak, they’ve climbed to a 17-12 record—an impressive turnaround for a team that was hovering around .500 not long ago. What’s more remarkable is that they’ve done it all without their star rookie Caitlin Clark, proving just how deep and determined this roster is. But their latest victory over the Seattle Storm was anything but smooth sailing. In a nail-biter that went down to the wire, it was the clutch performances of Natasha Howard and Sophie Cunningham that saved the day. Without them, Indiana may have walked away with a tough loss, and this led to the Fever’s number 8 to speak a blunt truth.

While the team celebrated the win, all eyes turned to Kelsey Mitchell, and not for the right reasons. Mitchell, who has been a consistent offensive threat since July, faltered under the spotlight. She finished with just nine points, going a disappointing 3-for-16 from the field and missing all eight of her three-point attempts. The cold-shooting night sparked criticism, but the locker room wasn’t having any of it. In a show of unity, Sophie Cunningham offered a bold six-word defense of her teammate.

During the postgame conference after the Seattle win, Cunningham claimed Mitchell is “having a hell of a season” and should not be blamed for one off day. “She was a little bit off, but she facilitated for us offensively down the stretch, and then it just shows that everyone has something to give, even if your scoring’s not going to be there,” Cunningham said, highlighting Mitchell’s contributions beyond the scoreboard. The Fever player also expressed pride in her team, praising the way they played throughout the game.

Despite a rare off-night, Kelsey Mitchell is still in the midst of a standout season. She’s averaging a career-best 19.5 points and 2.9 assists per game. Her explosive drives consistently break down defenses and create space for the post players. Seattle managed to slow her down this time. As a result, the spotlight shifted to Sophie Cunningham, Aliyah Boston, and Natasha Howard. And these players came out to play.

Later in the presser, coach Stephanie White emphasized how this team has grown mature in the past couple of months, and is now playing as a unit: “They know one another a little bit better now. We’re maturing in how we handle situations and how we handle runs. We stayed neutral. We didn’t get too high. We didn’t get too low. Like, look, this league is tough and teams are going to make runs,” and the 5 consecutive wins, even without Caitlin Clark, are just a reflection of the same.

Sophie Cunningham and co take the Indiana Fever to their fifth consecutive win

The Fever delivered a well-rounded performance against the Storm, but the game was far from a breeze. After cruising through the first half, Indiana looked poised for a comfortable win. However, Seattle came out strong in the third quarter, dominating the frame and nearly erasing the deficit. Feeding off their home crowd, the Storm clawed back to make it a one-point game at 73-72 late in the fourth.

Just when momentum seemed to shift, Kelsey Mitchell stepped up with two clutch buckets to swing the lead back in Indiana’s favor. The Fever held on to seal a hard-fought 78-74 victory. “Seattle’s a great team, and it’s hard to play here. We knew that they just came off a kind of bad loss against LA, and they were hungry for a win. But for us, it’s not about other teams, it’s about our standard,” Cunningham said after the win.

Sophie Cunningham led the charge from beyond the arc. She hit four three-pointers and grabbed five rebounds on both ends to finish with 17 points. On the other hand, Aliyah Boston made her presence felt in the paint. She pulled down 11 defensive and 12 offensive rebounds, adding 16 points to the scoreboard. However, it was Natasha Howard who stole the spotlight. She delivered a game-high 21 points and dished out five assists to pace the Fever. Even in Caitlin Clark’s absence, Indiana continues to show remarkable grit and resilience.

The Fever will look to extend their winning streak as they face the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday, August 5.