The Indiana Fever won their first game since point guard Caitlin Clark was injured, getting a lift from emergency hardship signing Aari McDonald in an 85-76 victory over the Washington Mystics on Tuesday in Indianapolis.
Indiana had lost three games in a row, two of them after Clark was ruled out for at least two weeks on May 26 with a left quad injury. The Fever fell 83-77 against Washington in a game played in Baltimore on Wednesday and lost 85-83 to the Connecticut Sun at home on Friday.
Guards Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham were injured during the Connecticut game and exited, leaving Indiana to finish with just eight players. On Monday, the Fever signed McDonald, the No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft who previously played for Atlanta and Los Angeles.
Cunningham remains out but Colson was able to play Tuesday and started. She finished with seven points and three assists in 16 minutes.
McDonald came off the bench, and had seven points, five assists and three steals in 27 minutes. Fever coach Stephanie White said that McDonald watched game film on the flight to Indianapolis and went over schemes with the coaching staff, then executed some plays that she hasn't had a chance to practice yet with the Fever.
"Not everybody can do that. That's a point guard mindset," White said. "I thought she did a great job. She's hungry, No. 1. And No. 2, she knows how to play. And she's just a dog on defense; we needed that."
Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever, now 3-4, with 24 points and Lexie Hull had 14. Both praised McDonald for giving the team a lift it needed.
"I'm really proud of Aari for coming out and playing some incredible minutes," Hull said. "She was ready."
Mitchell added, "It goes to show what pros are, and how you're supposed to operate."
White also said the game was the Fever's most complete since their season opener on May 17, when they beat Chicago 93-58 behind Clark's triple-double.
"Outside of Game 1, it was the most consistent we've played throughout the course of 40 minutes," White said. "21 assists on 30 made field goals ... that's how we have to play in order of us to be successful. We've gotta get that ball moving."
