The Indiana Fever won their first game since point guard Caitlin Clark was injured, getting a lift from emergency hardship signing Aari McDonald in an 85-76 victory over the Washington Mystics on Tuesday in Indianapolis.
Indiana had lost three games in a row, two of them after Clark was ruled out for at least two weeks on May 26 because of a left quad injury. Indiana fell to Washington in Baltimore on Wednesday and lost to the Connecticut Sun at home on Friday.
Guards Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham were injured during the Connecticut game and exited, leaving Indiana to finish with only eight players. On Monday, the Fever signed McDonald, the No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft who previously played for the Atlanta Dream and the Los Angeles Sparks.
Cunningham remains out, but Colson was able to play Tuesday and started. Colson finished with seven points and three assists in 16 minutes.
McDonald came off the bench and posted 7 points, 5 assists and 3 steals in 27 minutes.
Fever coach Stephanie White said McDonald watched game film on the flight to Indianapolis then went over schemes with the coaching staff before executing some plays in Tuesday's game that she hasn't had a chance to practice yet with the Fever.
"Not everybody can do that. That's a point guard mindset," White said. "I thought she did a great job. She's hungry, No. 1. And No. 2, she knows how to play. And she's just a dog on defense; we needed that."
Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever, now 3-4, with 24 points, and Lexie Hull added 14. Each praised McDonald for giving the team a lift it needed.
"I'm really proud of Aari for coming out and playing some incredible minutes," Hull said. "She was ready."
As Mitchell added, "It goes to show what pros are and how you're supposed to operate."
White also said the game was the Fever's most complete since their season opener May 17, when they beat the Chicago Sky 93-58 behind Clark's triple-double.
"Outside of Game 1, it was the most consistent we've played throughout the course of 40 minutes," White said. "Twenty-one assists on 30 made field goals ... that's how we have to play in order for us to be successful. We've got to get that ball moving."