Fever lose to Mystics before scheduled Lynx matchup

The Indiana Fever lost 93-77 to the Washington Mystics on September 20, leaving the team at 27-15 before a scheduled late-season matchup with the Minnesota Lynx on September 22. The result ended Indiana’s three-game winning streak and added pressure to its effort to secure a favorable playoff seed, though the available reports do not establish the team’s final standing or the outcome of the Minnesota game. Indiana struggled on both ends in the loss. The Mystics built a 34-19 lead after the first quarter, and the Fever did not recover. Caitlin Clark scored 25 points and had five assists, but made six of 20 shots from the field and turned the ball over five times, according to game coverage. Kelsey Mitchell added 22 points. Washington shot 56.9% from the field, while Indiana shot 36.6%, one report said. Clark was also heard criticizing the Fever’s defensive rotations during the game, according to a report describing the sideline exchange with coach Stephanie White. Afterward, Clark called the team’s performance sloppy and its defense pitiful. Her comments reflected frustration with the defensive breakdowns, but the reports did not provide a response from White.