The Fever vs Wings popularity is growing; we’re talking 20,000 seats in a stadium that the Wings booked for their latest showdown. Why though? Rewind a little, their July 12 showdown at Gainbridge Fieldhouse wasn’t just a 102–83 Indiana beatdown, it was a ratings bonanza. According to ESPN, the game averaged 2.1 million viewers and peaked at 2.5 million, making it the fourth-most-watched WNBA game ever aired on ABC. That’s a 69% spike from last year’s ABC regular-season average. One end of this thread is Paige Bueckers, sure. But the other might surprise you.
Heads up, it’s not just Caitlin Clark. It’s a certain three-time WNBA All-Star, quietly dominating while the cameras are busy chasing bigger headlines. Yep, it’s Kelsey Mitchell. During tonight’s showdown, you could easily spot glimpses of her greatness that even Caitlin Clark couldn’t resist but cheer to. With 8:43 remaining in the first quarter, Kelsey Mitchell gave Indiana some much-needed momentum after they were down 2-0. She made a no-look, behind-the-back bounce pass to Natasha Howard that helped her score an easy 2. This play caught Clark off guard as she automatically stood up and started clapping.
But here’s the kicker: she has been doing this stuff even when the cameras weren’t waiting to capture viral moments. When Paige vs. Caitlin wasn’t on the script, when Twitter wasn’t melting down. Kelsey Mitchell was still silently torching defenses. Let us break it all down for you…
Kelsey Mitchell’s Pattern of Winning: 2025
Date
Winner
Score
Kelsey Mitchell
Caitlin Clark
Paige Bueckers
27 June 2025
Indiana Fever
94–86
32 pts
Out
27 pts
12 July 2025
Indiana Fever
102–83
20 pts
14 pts
21 pts
1 August 2025
Indiana Fever
88–78
23 pts
Out
22 pts
While Caitlin Clark is unquestionably the engine behind the skyrocketing viewership, it’s Kelsey Mitchell who has been quietly ruling the scoreboard. Moreover, more often than not, injuries (quad, groin) have sidelined Caitlin Clark from the important matchups. In her absence, Mitchell has been a consistent force. As she once put it after a tough loss:
“It’s a gut-check game every game. Everybody’s trying to make the playoffs, everybody’s trying to be a contender for something, and I think it all comes down to who’s going to be the tougher team for 40 minutes.”
Kelsey Mitchell in the win vs Dallas. She’s scored 20+ in 7 of last 9 games pic.twitter.com/2ZFLsMi6j4
— WNBA Louvre (@WNBAlouvre) August 2, 2025
And make no mistake, she has been walking that talk all season. In tonight’s game, she put her name on yet another record: most 20+ point games this season with 13, tying only Kelsey Plum. You can see why she is leading the squad with 19.7 PPG. Moreover, clearly visible through the stats, the veteran guard has consistently outperformed the two players grabbing all the headlines (Clark and Bueckers) in this matchup. The only exception? July 12th, and even then, she was just one point shy. That’s quiet dominance. A rivalry might get headlines. But Mitchell? She gets buckets, always.
Indiana Fever vs. Dallas Wings: 2024
Three intense matchups, one crucial pattern: when Mitchell goes off, the Fever go up. Caitlin Clark showed up every time with 24, 28, and 35 points in three outings. However, if you notice closely, it wasn’t always enough.
Date
Winner
Score
Kelsey Mitchell
Caitlin Clark
17 July 2024
Dallas Wings
101–93
13 pts
24 pts
1 September 2024
Indiana Fever
100–93
36 pts
28 pts
15 September 2024
Indiana Fever
110–109
30 pts
35 pts
The Fever’s only loss to Dallas came on July 17. It’s the same night Mitchell was held to just 13 points. Contrast that with her 36 and 30-point explosions in the two September wins, and the math writes its own story.
So here’s the bottom line: No matter how much Clark lights it up, unless Kelsey Mitchell joins her above the 25-point line, the Fever’s odds start fading fast.
The post Kelsey Mitchell Shines in Caitlin Clark’s Absence After Achieving Important Milestone in Fever-Wings Clash appeared first on EssentiallySports.