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Kelsey Mitchell Injury Update: Fever coach Christie Sides reveals veteran star’s status ahead of WNBA playoffs first round
The Indiana Fever faced a scare when star guard Kelsey Mitchell sustained a concerning injury in the first quarter of their final regular season game against the Washington Mystics on Thursday. Following the game, Fever coach Christie Sides reassured fans that the team’s leading scorer was ok.
Mitchell collided with a Mystics player under the basket in the first quarter and seemed to be limping as she headed to the locker room. She returned to the bench midway through the second quarter, sporting a knee brace. After receiving attention from the training staff, she participated in warm-ups during halftime.
After the game, Sides confirmed Mitchell was fine:
"Kelsey’s good," she said. "Once she went down... I just made the decision right then she was just going to get ready for Sunday."
The coach explained that she decided to sit Mitchell after the collision to ensure she would be ready for the opening playoff game on Sunday.
The Fever will face the Connecticut Sun in a best-of-three series starting with Game 1 on Sept. 22 at 3:00 p.m. ET at Connecticut's home court. Game 2 will also take place in Connecticut on Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
If a Game 3 is necessary, it will shift to Indiana's home court on Sept. 27.
Like much of the Fever roster, Mitchell will be making her playoff debut. She was drafted No. 2 out of Ohio State in 2018, two years after the Fever last reached the playoffs.
Sides expressed her excitement about seeing Mitchell perform on a bigger stage (via IndyStar.com):
"Kelsey Mitchell, I just am really happy for her getting to experience this with what she's gone through here, and what she's done and who she is," Sides said.
Indiana Fever need Kelsey Mitchell's scoring in the playoffs
Kelsey Mitchell averaged a team-high 19.6 points per game this season, marking the highest of her seven-year career so far. She also averaged 2.5 rebounds, her second-best average, and 1.8 assists, the lowest of her career.
She subsequently earned her second All-Star selection this season for her performances.
The Fever will face the Sun in the first round of the playoffs, entering as the No. 6 seed against the No. 3 seed.
Mitchell has had a tough time against the Sun this season, averaging 14.3 ppg, which is tied with the New York Liberty for her lowest scoring output against any team. During the regular season, she shot 47.6% from the field and 38.9% from beyond the arc.
The Fever lost their first three games against the Sun earlier this season during a 3-10 stretch, falling by margins of 21, four and 17 points. However, they bounced back to win 17 of their last 27 games, including an 84-80 victory against the Sun on Aug. 28.
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