After two consecutive losses, the Indiana Fever grabbed a win to make it a winner-take-all Game 5. But despite every possible effort, challenges are not going away for the Indiana Fever. With five season-ending injuries already on their plate, Indy’s Game 5 night has just gotten a lot more intense.

Late in the third quarter, Fever star Aliyah Boston picked up her fifth foul on a hard screen, putting her in major jeopardy for the crucial closing minutes. Losing Boston at this stage could dramatically impact Indiana’s inside presence and rebounding dominance, but it wasn’t her who Indy lost before the game ended. It was Kelsey Mitchell instead.

What Happened to Kelsey Mitchell?

The nightmare became reality in the third quarter of Game 5. After Aliyah Boston was called for her fifth foul, Kelsey Mitchell grabbed her leg in apparent discomfort. She then reached out to hold onto a referee for support before making her way to the floor. She was immediately attended by team personnel and her teammates, who held up towels to give her some privacy.

Then, a stretcher was brought onto the court, but Mitchell left the floor with assistance after lying down for five tense minutes. As per ESPN’s Holly Rowe, the area of concern appears to be her left quad, just above the knee, with possible cramping in her right leg as well.

And that was how Mitchell’s season ended—with 15 points and three shots made from beyond the arc. Well, this isn’t the first time she’s been injured. Back in 2022, she missed the last five games of the regular season with a left foot injury. After having played all 153 games, which was also the longest active streak in the W at that time, Mitchell’s 2022 season came to an end.

So yes, she’s missed just five games so far due to injury. But this time her injury is even more painful, as she left Indy in the decisive Game 5. She has been Indiana’s leading scorer this season, averaging 20.2 points per game in the regular season and 23.3 in the playoffs. What makes it even more painful is that Indy was already shorthanded due to injuries.

At this point in time, Mitchell had been a cornerstone for the Fever. She’s seamlessly taken on more playmaking responsibilities, facilitating the offense and keeping the team cohesive even amid mounting injuries. But when it was time to fight for a Finals spot, she left her team struggling. Though she still added 15 points with all three shots made from deep, her absence proved costly for the Fever.

The Indiana Fever lost the semis to the Aces!

When the No. 6-seeded Indiana Fever booked their berth, no one expected them to reach the semis. But when they did, they ensured every win was earned, and Game 5 was no different. With an already depleted roster, Indy’s six players reached double digits, including Natasha Howard with 16 and Odyssey Sims with 27 points.

So you know the kind of battle it had been. Even after losing Mitchell, they fought to tie the score at 84 on two Sims free throws with 52 seconds left. Jackie Young made two free throws with 27.1 seconds left, but Sims replied by driving down the lane for a layup to tie the score again.

Then, Young missed a layup in the closing seconds, and the game was sent to OT. But the Aces took the lead early on and didn’t give it up, sealing a 107-98 win. And that’s how Indy lost the game, while the Aces advanced to the WNBA Finals to play the Phoenix Mercury.

But despite it all, no one can deny the run Indy made to get here. Despite being called underdogs, they surpassed every obstacle—whether it was injuries or locking horns against the two-time champions. And while they lost, they still left their mark by making history, reaching the semis for the first time since 2015.