Third place, a record-setting backcourt, and eight games left—how far can Indiana push this? New to this story? Here’s the quick version. Kelsey Mitchell’s MVP push isn’t about one hot night—she’s been scoring steadily, and the rest of the league is taking notice. Aliyah Boston even called Mitchell “the MVP,” and after the Wings win, her 20-point streak reached 18 games. That steady scoring alongside Caitlin Clark and Boston has driven Indiana’s rise. This is the Indiana Fever Daily Podcast. We’ve got a historic duo, a big standings break, and one fourth-quarter health note that matters more than a blowout win usually does. This one's from CBS Sports:
Kelsey Mitchell scored 16 points in the first quarter and finished with 29 before sitting out the fourth, Caitlin Clark added 24 points and the Indiana Fever beat the Toronto Tempo 101-95 on Tuesday for their fifth straight victory. Clark and Mitchell have each scored 20 or more in the same game 16 times this season, a WNBA record. Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter did it 15 times with Phoenix in 2008.
Kelsey Mitchell dropped 16 in the first quarter, got to 29, and she and Caitlin Clark just set the WNBA record: 16 games with both scoring 20 or more. Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter had 15 in 2008. That’s elite company. And Boston had 16, Sophie Cunningham went three-for-three from deep, and Indiana never trailed in a 101-95 road win. Toronto made it close late, but the Fever closed it out without Mitchell. The Kelsey Mitchell MVP push got another boost: 29 points and a 20-game 20-point streak, tying A’ja Wilson. Then came the overheating scare. I’m glad they got her to the locker room, but with eight games left, I need to see that monitored—not shrugged off. It was a real depth test. Mitchell didn’t return for the fourth, Marina Mabrey hit two late threes to make it 97-93, and Indiana still held on. The rotation showed something; Mitchell’s status is still the bigger concern. Sports Illustrated, with Robin Lundberg:
But the victory in combination with what happened shortly thereafter saw the Fever move into third place. That's because the Las Vegas Aces fell to the Atlanta Dream in a game that started right as the Fever's ended. Indiana beat Atlanta on Sunday, which gave them a bit of a cushion over the Dream, and prevented them from losing the tiebreaker in the season series. And with the Dream's win over the Aces, the Fever passed them too.
Third place. Indiana handled its own business Sunday, Atlanta beat Vegas Tuesday, and suddenly the Fever are 24-12 with eight games left. The tiebreakers matter here. Indiana has the edge over Atlanta after Sunday’s win, owns Vegas 2-1 in the season series, and sits ahead of the 24-13 Aces. So no, I’m not doing the “watch out for the collapse” routine this morning. Five straight, a road win in Toronto, and home court is starting to look like a real expectation. Golden State is still two games up, so second is within reach. Minnesota is five ahead, which is a much tougher climb. But third gives Indiana room to manage this five-games-in-eight-days road swing without treating every possession like a fire drill. Jeremy Beren, writing in Sporting News:
Clark has pulled into a virtual tie with Phoenix's Alyssa Thomas as the WNBA's assists leader with 8.3 dimes per game. In addition, her 22.1 points per game mark is third in the league; she is the only player to rank in the top three in both offensive categories. Combined with the Fever's historic pace on offense, and Clark continues to build her MVP campaign one brick -- and one win -- at a time.
The numbers make the MVP case: 22.1 points, 8.3 assists, third in scoring, and virtually tied with Alyssa Thomas for the league assist lead. Nobody else is top three in both. And she got there with 24 and seven in Toronto, then hit the two free throws to finish it. Seven turnovers are ugly—I’m not putting a bow on that—but she owned those final seconds. Her sixth straight 20-point, five-assist game ties her own WNBA record from June. She’s been doing it night after night. Keep Kelsey Mitchell in the frame: her 29 is part of why Clark can see those passing lanes. That record-setting dual-20 partnership is showing up on the court. From Matthew Couden at Newsweek:
On Tuesday, the WNBA revealed that Clark was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for her contributions to the Fever's success. Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles was named Western Conference Player of the Week. Both teams are on four-game winning streaks, with only the Golden State Valkyries' six-game win streak hotter. During the Fever's past week, Clark averaged 25.7 points, 9.7 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game.
Fourth Eastern Conference Player of the Week this season. And the week that won it: 25.7 points, 9.7 assists—Clark was basically a dime shy of a 26-and-10 average. Over 11 games, it’s even stronger: 26.3 points and 9.4 assists, with no WNBA player posting more 26-point, nine-assist games across an 11-game stretch. That gives the MVP conversation real statistical footing. And now put the award beside what we just saw in Toronto: Mitchell gave them 29, then sat the fourth overheated, and Indiana still closed it. Player of the Week is nice. Seeing them close without Mitchell says even more about this team. Exactly. Clark’s award and that Clark-Mitchell record belong together—16 dual 20-point games, past Taurasi and Pondexter’s 15. The Fever are getting huge production, and they still found a way to close when Mitchell had to sit. Got feedback, a story idea, or a correction? Email us at indianafeverdailyfancast at lantern podcasts dot com. Your notes help make the Indiana Fever Daily Podcast better.
Next up, the road trip continues Thursday at Dallas, Saturday at New York, and Sunday at Chicago. Links to every story are in the show notes, so check out whichever updates caught your attention. That’s it for Indiana Fever Daily Podcast today. This is a Lantern Podcast.