Kelsey

Mitchell

Mitchell was ekectric in the middle parts of Friday’s game. In the second and third quarter combined, the veteran guard scored 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting and added a pair of three-pointers along the way before finishing with at least 20 points for the ninth time this season while also logging multiple triples for the 13th time. Mitchell didn’t produce much in many other areas, however. As usual, her fantasy basketball production largely hinges on her scoring and three-point shooting.

Mitchell really struggled to find her shot on Wednesday afternoon and had difficulty with the physicality that Valkyries point guard Veronica Burton played on her. Even if Burton was screened by a teammate of Mitchell’s, Burton had Temi Fágbénlé to help her on the close out of Mitchell. The only three-pointer Mitchell made came when she was able to create some space on Burton so the guard couldn’t contest her shot. While Mitchell’s first two shots of the afternoon rolled in right at the rim, she put them up over three Valkyries defenders clogging the paint. That was what Mitchell saw all afternoon each time she went downhill.

Mitchell’s streak of scoring at least 20 points ended with five on Saturday night, coming one point short of extending that streak to six games. She scored at all three levels including creating two of her threes off the dribble, scoring off her own step-back mid-range pull ups in addition to creating space via her off-ball movement. Half of Mitchell’s field goals came on assists from facilitating center Aliyah Boston and backup point guard Sydney Colson.

Mitchell needed under 30 minutes of game action to reach the 25-point mark for the third time this season. She impressed with 12 points and five assists in the first half before scoring 10 points in the third quarter and cruising down the stretch as Indiana led by as many as 27 points. Mitchell has now tallied at least 25 points and six assists in two of her last three games. While Caitlin Clark (groin) is still sidelined, Mitchell will get the usage to perform at a high level for the Aces and your fantasy basketball squad.

In her first start as a member of the Fever in the absence of Caitlin Clark, McDonald split facilitation duties with Kelsey Mitchell while trying to play the best point of attack defense she could against Paige Bueckers. Half of McDonald’s assists came at a pivotal time for the Fever when they struggled to put points on the board. Two thirds of McDonald’s assists were to Kelsey Mitchell who was the Fever’s stabilizing offensive force on the floor without Caitlin Clark. McDonald’s scores were either via her running down the other way in transition or when she found open driving lanes. McDonald like Mitchell is properly unlocked when she has opportunities to go downhill.

Boston like her teammate Kelsey Mitchell was so efficient on Friday night. She took advantage of being guarded by Li Yueru, a less athletic center. She also took advantage of when smaller defender Myisha Hines-Allen was switched onto her. When the Fever were struggling to put points on the board in the third quarter, Boston along with Mitchell took matters into their own hands. Boston accounted for 55.6% of the team’s points in that third quarter. Mitchell found Boston on the move twice and Boston used her speed to blow by multiple defenders. Also, all of Boston’s three assists were to Mitchell. Boston knew exactly how much space Mitchell needed to get off her shot, which exemplifies that the two have mastered how to play to each other’s strengths.

Mitchell scored a season high of 31 on Friday night, earning her eighth career 30 point game. She got to her spots with ease all night mixing up efficient shot making with getting down hill and putting pressure on the rim. When the Fever struggled to score during the Wings’ 11-3 run in the third quarter it was Mitchell that carried the Fever with her scoring moving off the ball to score the ball at the rim on assists from Aari McDonald and Aliyah Boston. After the Wings had their first lead of the game by a point with 5:29 left in the fourth quarter, Mitchell countered immediately with a wide open made three at the top of the key. And then a minute later Mitchell put away the Wings with an and-one and an assist to Natasha Howard to seal the game.

On the heels of a season-high scoring effort on Tuesday, Mitchell remained productive against the Sparks by reaching the 20-point mark. The veteran guard led all Fever players in scoring, thanks to a dominant third quarter where she tallied 11 points on 3-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc. Mitchell also tallied at least four assists for the second time in as many games — if she can sustain her recent increase in assists, it would serve as a nice bonus to fantasy managers. She’ll have a chance to log another productive outing when the Fever face the Wings on Friday.

Having scored 20 points or more in three of her last five games, Mitchell was at her best on Tuesday. The Fever guard finished with season-highs in points and three-pointers, and the four assists were the most Kelsey’s recorded in a game since May 30 against Connecticut. Mitchell also moved up the WNBA’s all-time three-pointers list (regular season only), passing Kara Lawson to move into 12th place. And she’s now 22 away from Tamika Catchings’ franchise record for most regular-season triples in a career. Along with Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hill, Mitchell stepped up to help shoulder most of the scoring load for the Fever as they snapped a two-game losing streak.