Kelsey Mitchell led the Indiana Fever with an impressive 29-point effort on Tuesday night, shooting 11-of-21 from the field while adding two rebounds, two assists, two steals, and three three-pointers in 35 minutes. Despite her standout performance, the Fever fell to the New York Liberty 98-84, marking their second consecutive loss to the defending champions.

This defeat dropped Indiana to an even 12-12 on the season, leaving them in the seventh position in the WNBA standings.

Veteran Calls for Urgency Amid Season Inconsistencies

Mitchell, a three-time All-Star, voiced concern over the team‘s inconsistent play throughout the season, emphasizing the critical nature of the remaining games. She stressed that the Fever no longer have room for mistakes if they want to secure a playoff spot and compete seriously.

I don’t think we have wiggle room to figure out anything else,

Mitchell said during her postgame press conference.

It’s a gut-check game every game. Everybody’s trying to make the playoffs, everybody’s trying to be a contender for something, and I think it all comes down to who’s going to be the tougher team for 40 minutes.

—Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever guard

If we want to be that, then we’ll have to keep going through these kinds of things to be that. But we can’t keep taking steps back. … There ain’t no more room for error.

—Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever guard

Looking Ahead to a Crucial Stretch of the Season

Mitchell’s candid warning reflects the pressure facing the Fever as they emerge from the All-Star break with just 20 games left in the regular season. While Indiana is not the worst team in the league, their current form does not suggest they are serious title contenders at this stage.

With the playoff race tightening, Mitchell’s message underscores the need for Indiana to elevate their consistency and resilience if they hope to advance and compete meaningfully in the postseason.