Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell have set the WNBA ablaze with their game-winning camaraderie. The dynamic backcourt duo turned around the Indiana Fever’s fortunes after a dismal start to the 2024 season to earn a playoff berth. However, because of Clark’s standout, Rookie of the Year-deserving record-breaking spree eclipsed Mitchell’s best WNBA season. But the seventh-year veteran is finally getting her due.

Ahead of Indiana’s 78-74 loss to A’ja Wilson’s Las Vegas Aces on Friday, Clark heartily credited team leader, Mitchell. “Kels has been amazing, and I think for myself coming in here, her leadership was very evident from the first practice I had here,” she said in a press conference. The Fever guard also explained how “supportive” the 7-year veteran has been throughout. Moreover, it was her next statement, “Our chemistry has really begun to blossom,” which foreshadowed their record-breaking games.

Mitchell crossed the 100 3-pointer made mark on Friday, marking the Clark-Mitchell duo the only one in WNBA history to make 100 3s each in a season. With such a sublime run going on, their teammate Erica Wheeler has joined the party to hype their leader. Giving Mitchell her due credit, Jaylen Owens of Stoner Sports Network tweeted, “Idk if the Fever are in the playoffs without Kelsey Mitchell.” Wheeler was quick to comment on the post, sharing her admiration for Kelsey Mitchell in one word: “Correct!!!!”

Wheeler has been vocally boosting the team’s morale on social media and the floor every chance she gets. The veteran gave Caitlin Clark the ultimate appreciation on X. When one questioned if the Indiana Fever would’ve made the playoffs without their star rookie, she responded, “No! But we here! Stay tuned in!” The Indiana ‘fever’ is rising, and rival teams have no choice but to acknowledge and praise them.

Indiana Fever’s “triple-headed monster” worries Becky Hammon and more

The Becky Hammon-led Las Vegas Aces have never lost to the Indiana Fever since 2019. Their Friday night win extended the streak to a staggering 15-0. But despite such dominance, the Fever’s lead trio of Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston surprised coach Hammon.

“They’re a legit three-headed monster,” Hammon said post-game. “You have to play defense against this team, otherwise they’re too good offensively. We don’t want to get into a situation where we have to outscore them because they really have some unbelievable scorers,” she added on the day Mitchell and Clark created a joint three-point WNBA record.

Previously, Sue Bird on her podcast ‘A Touch More’ also revealed how Indiana’s pace can overtake experience any day, something that the team has aptly used in their favor since returning from the Olympics break.

Maybe this is why Hammon encouraged her players to defend aggressively, rattling Clark in their Wednesday matchup before the Fever adapted to do better on Friday, albeit in a losing cause. Nonetheless, the Fever has stepped up their game, going above .500 for the first time since June 2019 and ending an 8-year playoff drought. They are most likely to face off against the Connecticut Sun or the Minnesota Lynx in the playoffs. Only time will tell if they really will be a problem for the other seasoned teams.