Why Caitlin Clark only played 20 minutes, Kelsey Mitchell left the court and did not return in the Indiana Fever - Washington Mystics game. Christie Sides is great.

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever drew in the crowd but couldn’t get the win in their regular season finale against the Washington Mystics on Thursday.

The Fever suffered a one-point defeat, 92-91, despite an inspired comeback attempt in the fourth quarter. The game at Entertainment & Sports Arena attracted 20,711 fans, the most in WNBA history.

Aside from the loss, the Fever also had a scare when top scorer Kelsey Mitchell went down grabbing her leg in the first quarter. She limped off the court when she was taken out. She never returned.

After the game, the 28-year-old Mitchell eased the concerns of fans.

“I think it was just more like throughout the course of my left side,” Mitchell said in a report from IndyStar’s Chloe Peterson. “But I don’t think anything major. I just think we have to be precautionary. Nothing major.”

Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell in action for the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA season.

Regardless of the result against the Mystics, the Fever had already locked up the sixth seed in the playoffs. Mitchell, a two-time All-Star, understood the situation.

“I was being precautionary, staying in the right mindset about the focus of the group, and what’s needed,” said Mitchell, who had four points in five minutes. “That was a decision made by our personnel, and it was cool to support my team.”

Her fellow starters didn’t play much as well, with Clark suiting up for only 20 minutes.

Mitchell will be an indispensable cog for the 20-20 Fever in their best-of-three series against the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the playoffs.