Kelsey Mitchell, the Fever’s absolute offensive engine, was forced to leave Tuesday night’s game against the Toronto Tempo early in the third quarter after dropping a game-high 29 points in their 101-95 win. It’s a huge alarm bell, especially considering what went down last season. Fever coach Stephanie White kept it simple, saying Mitchell “just got overheated” inside Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum, a venue the Fever had never played in before. But Caitlin Clark, man, she didn’t mince words about the situation, and honestly, good for her.
Clark Calls Out the Heat, Mitchell’s Streak Hits WNBA Record
Clark went straight for the jugular, criticizing the Tempo’s arena staff and that “million degrees” temperature. “Maybe if Canada had air conditioning, that would be helpful,” Clark told ESPN’s Holly Rowe. “It’s a million degrees in here, but hopefully she’ll be okay.” You can’t blame her for being fired up. Seeing your teammate, especially one as crucial as Mitchell, struggling with the heat when she’s absolutely lighting up the scoreboard? That’s gotta be frustrating. Before she had to bounce, Mitchell was on fire, extending her incredible streak of 20-plus point games to 20 straight. That ties A’ja Wilson for the WNBA record. She was putting on a show, but the conditions in that arena were clearly a problem.
The Haunting Shadow of Last Season’s Playoff Run
This isn’t just some minor incident. Mitchell’s early exit from the Tempo game is going to rattle Fever fans who remember exactly how their valiant 2025 playoff run ended. It was Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals against Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces, and Mitchell collapsed on the court. The diagnosis was rhabdomyolysis, a potentially life-threatening condition where muscle tissue breaks down. Even if the two incidents aren’t directly linked, the Fever staff played it smart by not risking Mitchell’s health if she was cramping or overheating. Her health and availability are everything. She’s the WNBA’s second-leading scorer right now, dropping 24.3 points per game. You can’t just lose that kind of production, especially not because of an arena’s dodgy climate control.
The Fever are on a roll, winners of six in a row, and they’re set to visit the Dallas Wings on Thursday night. That’s another warm climate, and you know everyone’s watching how carefully White and the coaching staff monitor Mitchell. We need her healthy, plain and simple, if this team is gonna make any noise this season. Let’s hope those Dallas arenas are running their AC!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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