The Indiana Fever are set to make their much-anticipated return to the WNBA playoffs this Sunday, marking their first postseason appearance since 2016.
Locked into the No. 6 seed, the Fever took on the Washington Mystics in their final regular-season game, though the outcome had no bearing on their playoff position. To preserve their top players, stars like Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston saw limited action.
However, the game still brought some anxious moments for Fever fans when Mitchell, the team’s elite guard, appeared to suffer a leg injury in the first quarter.
After leaving the court and heading to the locker room, Mitchell returned in the second quarter but did not re-enter the game, igniting concern among Indiana fans that their top scorer might be sidelined for Sunday’s crucial matchup against the No. 3 seed, Connecticut Sun.
Given Mitchell’s importance to the Fever’s playoff hopes, any injury scare was enough to send shockwaves through the fanbase.
But those concerns were eased as the weekend progressed. First came the positive news that Mitchell, at Saturday’s practice, was not wearing any sort of brace or support on her leg. That alone was enough to give fans hope, but Mitchell herself erased all doubts when she spoke to the media following practice.
“I feel great,” Mitchell confidently stated when asked about her injury, per Matthew Byrne. “Hopefully you guys saw me, I didn’t think I looked bad. I feel great. I think for us it was just about precautions—prevention, so to speak. And it felt good to see the other end and celebrate the ones that were on the floor the other day.”
When pressed further on whether her leg was fully recovered, Mitchell again reiterated, “Oh yeah, I feel great.”
This news comes as a relief for the Fever, who avoided what could have been a catastrophic blow to their playoff chances. Now, with their star guard healthy and ready to go, Indiana enters their series against the Sun at full strength.
The combination of Mitchell, WNBA Rookie of the Year favorite Aliyah Boston, and emerging star Caitlin Clark gives the Indiana Fever a formidable lineup as they prepare for what promises to be a thrilling playoff battle.
With the team’s sights set on a deep playoff run, fans can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Mitchell, a key piece to Indiana’s success, is fully healthy and ready to lead the charge.
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