‘The ultimate pro’: Newcomer Aari McDonald and 11 3s power Fever back to the win column
After three straight home losses, the Fever beat the Mystics with their best ball movement yet — 21 assists, 11 3-pointers, and a debut to remember for Aari McDonald.
There had to be a collective exhale in the Indiana Fever locker room Tuesday evening.
The last few weeks have been difficult for many reasons — most of all, losing four of their past five games. Then Caitlin Clark went down. Then Sophie Cunningham.
“It felt really good,” head coach Stephanie White said following their 85-76 win over the Washington Mystics. “And I think the way we did it too. We had to show resilience in that fourth quarter, we had to find ways to come together and dig in and get stops and make plays.
“It was probably, outside of game one, the most consistent we played throughout the course of 40 minutes. So I'm proud of this group for sticking with it. It wasn't perfect, but we found a way to get it done.”
On Sunday, the Fever braintrust huddled together knowing they needed to sign a player using the emergency hardship exception. They sought out a ball-handler who could lead the team and impact winning on both ends of the floor.
It’s been just over 24 hours since they added Aari McDonald, but the early returns are overwhelmingly positive. She finished with seven points, a team-high five assists and zero turnovers in 28 minutes — just two weeks after being waived by the LA Sparks.
“Aari was terrific,” White said. “She came in and she was the ultimate point guard. She got us settled when we needed to — five assists, zero turnovers. That's huge. And not just that, she set the tone on the defensive end. And that was big time for us.”
Sydney Colson, who exited last game early with a left leg injury, pushed herself the last few days and responded well in practice. But in true Fever fashion this season, she got hit in the face and her nose was bleeding just minutes into the game.
That led to an early entry for McDonald — and a jersey change for Colson after she stopped the bleeding.
McDonald recorded an assist on her second offensive possession. The Fever dealt with foul trouble early and often, again, which slowed Aliyah Boston — who finished 5-for-5 from the floor with 10 points and five fouls.
“I still think we got to get AB more touches,” added White. “She doesn't have to score it, but we've got to be on time and on target in our passes to her. But facilitating through AB in multiple areas on the floor opens up things for us so much that we've got to be more intentional with that too.”
The team was ecstatic about the ball movement. Everyone who spoke postgame mentioned it. It leans into the 0.5 basketball White has been emphasizing — making a decision quickly, whether that’s shooting, driving, or rotating the ball.
It was fitting that the Fever won the game beyond the arc. They buried a season-high 11 3s at a 39% clip, while the Mystics were just 1-for-10.
“I think our ability to drive and get angles and be able to find, touch the paint with two feet and either score — or get these 3s, it just serves to everyone getting a rhythm and everybody finding a way to be impacted through the game,” said Kelsey Mitchell, who scored a game-high 24 points.