The Indiana Fever have spent the majority of August bouncing back after two back-to-back losses against two of the WNBA's best — Minnesota and Las Vegas. They're on a five-game winning streak, including victories over three other playoff contenders.
Indiana's dynamic duo of Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell is largely responsible for this recent success. Coincidentally enough, Clark and Mitchell are each averaging 25.4 points per game over the Fever's last five outings. That means they are producing more than half of Indiana's average 98 points per game over this stretch.
Tonight, the Fever will face off against the Dallas Wings. The season series is currently tied, with tonight's game being the decider. To be frank, the Wings have struggled since returning from the All-Star break. They've won only two games over their last nine. Just last week, Indiana handed the Wings a 98-87 loss. To add insult to injury, Dallas will now finish out the season without their first-overall draft pick, Azzi Fudd, who is undergoing a knee procedure.
However, the Fever's injury report has some big names on it, as well. Clark and Mitchell are both listed as probable. Fans shouldn't worry too much about Clark's status, but they are understandably a little more struck by Mitchell's status, especially as she has not missed a game all season.
Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell are probable for Fever vs. Wings tonight
You can expect Clark to be on the floor tonight. She's been listed as 'probable' all season long after a mix-up earlier in the season. Back in May, she was a very late scratch from the Fever's game against the Portland Fire. Head Coach Stephanie White mentioned she had missed practice the day before. The league then sent the Fever a warning about leaving Clark off the injury report, despite her sitting out of practice. After the warning, White told reporters that Clark will be listed as probable to ensure clarity and avoid future problems, per Chloe Peterson.
Kelsey Mitchell, on the other hand, left the Fever's last game early. On Tuesday, Indiana faced off against the Toronto Tempo. During the fourth quarter, Mitchell was seen exiting to the locker room. She did not return to the game. After the match, White provided an update, saying, "Seems like she just got overheated." Mitchell's reasoning on the injury report is listed as 'illness.' Fever fans should feel pretty confident that they'll see their duo on the floor tonight.
Projected Fever starting lineup with Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell vs. Wings
STARTER | POSITION | BENCH |
|---|---|---|
Caitlin Clark | G | Raven Johnson |
Kelsey Mitchell | G | Tyasha Harris |
Lexie Hull | G | Sophie Cunningham |
Makayla Timpson | F | Myisha Hines-Allen |
Aliyah Boston | C/F | Monique Billings |
This has been the Fever's starting lineup in each of their last five games; they've gone 5-0, so why switch things up? Makayla Timpson is the newest addition to the lineup. She replaced Monique Billings, who had started nearly every game this season. Over the last five games, Timpson has averaged 9.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Her defensive versatility and ability to work well with Aliyah Boston in the paint are major reasons she's claimed the starting job.
The Wings' frontcourt consists of Jessica Shepard and Alanna Smith. Shepard was unavailable during the most recent matchup between these two squads and Smith had only put up 8 points. Tonight will be a real test for them — especially with the Wings depleted at the guard position and Timpson finding her groove.
Obviously, Clark and Mitchell being on the floor together makes a world of difference. This Indiana squad breathes through them. During last week's matchup against the Wings, the duo combined for 52 points and 12 assists. Tyasha Harris also came up huge off the bench. In just 17 minutes, she hit 5-of-5 from beyond the arc, recording 15 points.
If the Indy guards are doing their thing, a lot of weight will fall on the shoulders of Paige Bueckers. She put up 29 points against the Fever last week, but it still wasn't enough. Now, without Fudd, the other Wings guards have to step up both offensively and defensively. Arike Ogunbowale has put up three 15+ point performances in a row; she'll likely need a similar performance tonight.
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