According to Fever beat reporter Chloe Peterson of the Indy Star, Sides admitted shortly after the game that Mitchell's injury gave her a proper scare.

"Kelsey is good," Christie Sides said. "Once she went down ... I just made the decision right then she was just going to get ready for Sunday."

Before tipoff, Fever head coach Christie Sides appeared unsure of the right path to take with the team's key starters in a non-consequential game against Washington. While Sides said she'd be "cautious" with their minutes,

“She’s fine. She’s a warrior,” said player development coach Jhared Simpson during the broadcast, via Chloe Peterson of the Indianapolis Star. Mitchell's early exit paved the way for Indiana’s backups to get significant playing time, with Kristy Wallace stepping up, scoring 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting in extended minutes.

Kelsey Mitchell played just four minutes and Caitlin Clark sat most of the second half in the regular-season finale which didn't matter for the Fever.

The Fever watched out for Clark by commission. In a report from IndyStar's Dana Hunsinger Benbow, coach Christie Sides admitted that they consciously ensured that the 22-year-old Clark wouldn't trigger the referees.

On Thursday night, the Fever raced out to an 18-2 lead, but the Mystics playing for their playoff lives, fought back and took control of the game by halftime. The lead swelled in the second half before Christie Sides turned to her bench.

The Indiana Fever don't have playoff position at stake in the regular-season finale, but the Washington Mystics are scrapping for the final spot.