The WNBA Indiana Fever just achieved something that seemed impossible three months ago. While everyone expected them to struggle without their superstar, Caitlin Clark of WNBA Indiana Fever, they just broke four records in a single game against Paige Bueckers and the WNBA Dallas Wings. But here’s what nobody saw coming – two players who weren’t even on the roster at the start of the season just became the heroes of this incredible story. So what were those four records broken? Here’s a hint – they involved Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, Natasha Howard, and newcomers Aari McDonald and Chloe Bibby.
Three months ago, this would’ve sounded impossible:
The Indiana Fever — without Caitlin Clark — defeating a surging Dallas Wings team led by Paige Bueckers, and breaking four franchise records in the process.
But on Tuesday night, that’s exactly what happened.
And it wasn’t just a win. It was a warning — that this Fever team is deeper, smarter, and tougher than anyone thought.
A Team Transformed in Real Time
With Clark sidelined, many expected a backslide.
What they got instead was Kelsey Mitchell scoring 23 points, Aliyah Boston dominating the paint, and two newcomers — Aari McDonald and Chloe Bibby — turning into overnight heroes.
The Fever didn’t just win.
They rewrote their record books:
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Most three-pointers in a game (team)
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Most assists in a single half
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Fastest time to 20-point lead this season
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First time 4+ players scored 15+ points in a game since 2011
And they did it all with their franchise star watching from the bench — cheering louder than anyone in the building.
From Mid-Season Pickups to Playoff Material
Aari McDonald wasn’t on the roster in May. Neither was Chloe Bibby.
But last night, they were the difference-makers.
McDonald orchestrated the offense like she’d been there for years, scoring 15 points and dishing six assists. Bibby, a floor-spacing sniper, dropped four threes — a franchise rookie record through her first three games.
“People keep waiting for this team to collapse without Caitlin,” McDonald said postgame. “We’re not built like that.”
Kelsey Mitchell: The Anchor Holding It All Together
In a season of headlines dominated by Clark, Mitchell has quietly — and consistently — delivered.
Her 20-point performances are now routine. Her leadership? Anything but.
“She holds the team in place,” said Coach Stephanie White. “And she’s showing these young players what belief looks like.”
That belief is spreading. And it’s becoming dangerous.
A Chemistry Born Without the Spotlight
There’s something almost poetic about it.
The Fever, long accused of being “Clark and everyone else,” are now finding a rhythm without her on the floor — a rhythm that will only become more lethal when she returns.
Coach White credits the shift to culture.
“We stopped waiting for someone to rescue us,” she said. “And started rescuing each other.”
Final Thought: When the Superstar Returns, She’s Walking Into a Machine
Caitlin Clark is still the centerpiece.
She’s still the future.
But what Indiana Fever just proved — in 40 dazzling minutes against Paige Bueckers and the Wings — is that this team has become something much more dangerous:
A system.
And when you plug a superstar into a system that’s already working?
That’s when championships are born.