Fever pull of shocking Game 1 win over Aces on back on MVP finalist

Kelsey Mitchell does not carry herself as the WNBA MVP finalist she was named this season. She’s as humble a superstar as exists in the league, rarely one to boast about her accomplishments or talk trash on the floor.

Make no doubt about it, though, she is a superstar, which was made abundantly clear with her performance on Sunday. In the first round of the semi-finals in the WNBA playoffs, Mitchell scored a playoff career-high 34 points to lead the Indiana Fever to an upset win over the Las Vegas Aces, 89-73.

Mitchell was dominant throughout, scoring 17 points in each half. Behind her, the Fever started fast, absorbed a third-quarter run from the hosts, then put the game away with a run of their own. In the end, it was Mitchell who delivered the dagger, burying a 3-pointer with 1:23 left to put Indiana up 87-71.

“There have been multiple times this season where she’s put us on her back and she’s carried us and as we’ve gone through that, she’s continued to lead and pour into everybody else,” head coach Stephanie White said of Mitchell. “You see days like today where we get production from multiple people, that’s what it’s going to take for us to be successful, but Kelsey is definitely the head of the snake for us. She’s just a tough shot maker. I was really happy and pleased with the way she distributed the shots she got.”

While the Fever may be on her back, Mitchell is treading into unknown waters in her career. Although she has spent her entire career in Indiana, she has not always found success. Last year was her first foray into the postseason. This season was the first time she finished over .500.

And Sunday was her first game past the opening round of the playoffs. But she looked totally in her element as she dominated the Aces in every way possible.

“She made every freaking shot it seemed like,” Aces head coach Becky Hammon said of Mitchell. “Long twos, short twos, threes, get the free throw line. She had a hot night and we let her get going. I mean, she had 17 at halftime and continued that into the second half.

“I mean, clearly we had no answer for Mitchell.”

With the win, the Fever stole home-court advantage from Las Vegas in the best-of-5 series. The two sides will meet again on Tuesday in Las Vegas before returning to the Midwest to continue the series.

How much further they go this postseason remains anyone’s guess. The Fever continued to defy the odds with Sunday’s win, which was just days removed from their improbable victory in Atlanta in a do-or-die Game 3. In that contest, Mitchell also had a game-high 24 points.

The Fever’s surprise playoff run has been unpredictable throughout. However, one of the most predictable aspects of it is that Mitchell will continue to play at a superstar level while carrying Indiana on her back.

“I mean, honestly, she’s just a hooper,” Brianna Turner said. “Like, if you cross by her, you would never even know. Like she’s just so humble and just so sweet. I’m like, ‘Kelsey, like talk your s---. Like you’re one of the best guards in this league.’ But I mean, she’s just an amazing player. I’m happy to play alongside her. I’m happy to cheer for her.

“Like everyone deserves a Kelsey Mitchell on their team, but they don’t get her. We got her.”