Kelsey Mitchell, Christie Sides after Indiana Fever practice - on winning, playing on Father's Day

The Indiana Fever had practice Saturday afternoon on the main court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Afterward, head coach Christie Sides and guard Kelsey Mitchell talked with reporters. Still no update on Temi Fagbenle (foot).
Mitchell talked about playing on Father's Day -- the memory of her father and how emotional that game against the Chicago Sky will be. Plus, thoughts on Caitlin Clark's play on the court and helping her bounce back after a poor game.
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Scott Agness runs www.fieldhouse... covering the Pacers and Fever.
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[@timjohnson1646]

This team doesn't want Clark. Sides would love her to just bring the ball up...pass it...and stand in a corner. She was basically a decoy all of last game. I don't understand why they drafted her. She doesn't fit their offense. Trade her to Washington where she can run. Washington plays an up tempo style that Caitlin would succeed in. Her and Boston won't mesh in the long run....not because Boston isn't a great young player, but because their styles. Boston fits what Sides wants in an offense...play through the post. Caitlin is an up tempo guard...and she needs an offense that has players that also run....that's the Washington Mystics. Trade her to Washington for their 1st round pic next year.

[@DustyTail]

“Trade her” 😝 These comments crack me up. 😂

[@tingmei884]

it will not happen cuz Fever want the $$$ , they wouldn't trade CC . few game ago Smith was pissed off , she isn't being used the right way , Grace has been stuck to the bench for a while , few game at the end Sides put Wheeler in for defense stop !!! isn't Lexie play lot better defense ? wonder as hell why she still holding the job !!! Fever had show Sides is the Boss , Fever is Wheeler and Mitchell's team !!! Clark just here to sales tickets !!!

[@JuliusSomoso]

​@@tingmei884I agree.Fever will not trade Clark,they will lose a lot of money if they do.They are not stupid.

[@rlhartrum]

@@tingmei884 grace missed 3 foul shots in a row she needs to improve her game if she wants minutes

[@timjohnson1646]

@DustyTail So what should they do? Sides isn't going to use Clark properly. You don't draft a player number one overall to be a decoy. I know the Fever want the sell outs...all no doubt because of Caitlin...but don't want her to succeed. If I were Catlin's agent I would request a trade...and if not...she can just breach her contract...go to court and play overseas. It would hurt her financially a little...but she could make bread overseas and the Fever would be right back to 4,000 seats on average sold per game.

[@timothylopez-p5f]

CC understands basketball all around more than Sides

[@jamesfreeman2258]

Yes

[@brendahutto1683]

EXACTLY!!!

[@Copterman]

Sorry to hear about Kelsey's dad. :(

[@tzu2146]

She seems happy as hell she and Boston are the stars now since Sides is putting Clark in the corner and having her feed them. If I were Clark I would get a case of blue flu. The league needs her, she doesn't need them. You can tell no one supports her. Ridiculous.

[@rarerock5020]

Not sides fault cc can't beat her man off the dribble. Might as well sit in the corner and wait for an open shot. Every team need a player like that. If cc could post up maybe she'd have a bigger role.

[@tzu2146]

​@@rarerock5020she gets absolutely no help from her team. None. She is just as fast as Mitchell but is being coached to distribute rather than take her shot.

[@malebovinemanure]

@@rarerock5020 Maybe if her team knew what a screen is or not drop a pass, or make a point when they do get a pass.

[@rarerock5020]

@@tzu2146 she shoots all the time. She has the opportunity to take her shot when she's guarded 1v1 but she can't shake her defender enough to get an open shot that's why they screen for her. Notice how she doesn't get trapped before the screen next time you watch a game.

[@rarerock5020]

@@malebovinemanure they won last game so somebody was catching her passes.

[@TheProchargedmopar]

I saw a stat that showed Clark has been blitzed more times (63 at the time) individually than any team as a whole in the entire league. Hahahhaaha And people comment on turnovers or lower productivity. They all scared to let this girl roam. 😂

[@breezybreeze12]

I’m so confused on why they drafted her if you aren’t willing to compliment her style of play 😂

[@JuliusSomoso]

They will not let her roam 😄.She is the number 1 pick for a reason 😃.

[@maryjensen8428]

She doesn’t do the rim run passes anymore - Iowa we had Hannah she’s awesome but the others were average and guess what they cooks catch and finish moe often

[@chanin12]

​@@breezybreeze12cause she brings the money!

[@SandraWhite-dj7sp]

Hmmm we will know about Temi in a couple days.... Same response a couple of days ago. 😠

[@timothylopez-p5f]

this team is a one on one team there is no chemistry or leadership

[@Lee-fe2kh]

Everyone sees Mitchell and smith not passing to Clark that’s all going to change neither one of them may figure in to the new offense

[@SandraWhite-dj7sp]

Sides says as little as possible when answering questions about Caitlin... But praises Boston. 😮 Caitlin needs to acclimate to the speed of her team 😆

[@tzu2146]

Yeah she loves talking about last year's team. This is psych 101 stuff easy to read between the lines. Hope she asks for a trade. This team doesn't deserve her.

[@victorforeman7056]

Cc is where she need to be, the team need to acclimate to her or just trade her period. She shouldn’t have to dumb herself down to play with this team

[@diIbert]

Its a team full of women. Sides knows who needs attention. Last thing CC needs is attention, she gets that in droves.

[@angelas4681]

Sides would CLEARLY have been happier if they drafted Brink or Cardoso. I feel bad for CC to end up with this turd of a coach.

[@marisoltammero3331]

Amen!!!!! How long do people think that's going to last? I honestly don't understand why they even drafted her.

[@malebovinemanure]

I wonder why Adam Silver has not had a chat with Sides and the rest of the Fever management. He has made it clear how he feels about Clark, the Olympics, the W losing 50 million dollars this season. At what point is he going to step in and let this league know they are tired of footing the bill for them and if they don't straighten out the problem, the NBA will stop the funding. I have already stopped watching the Fever because I see what Sides is doing, cancelled everything to do with the W. I will come back when Caitlin is on a team that utilizes her, whether that be an American team, or a foreign one.

[@roee78]

They broadcast the women's foreign basketball that Americans play on? Wow. I didn't know that.

[@TonyLee-fm2fy]

Mitchell needs to learn how to pass the ball

[@JuliusSomoso]

Kelsey,does not pass the ball.That is how she plays.

[@darrinrutt5387]

You noticed that, too. CC is playing her role and I think thats smart as a rookie. There must be a natural progression to CC's rise. Its a team sport at the end of the day. If CC comes in and says its all about me, my way or the high way woukd be a bad look and she wouldnt be a good team mate. So we have to have some patience and let everyones true personality show

[@victorforeman7056]

Boston and some others needs to learn how to set effective screens and she’d have a much easier time scoring

[@PronounsFU]

Mitchell & sides are the problem with the fever.

[@jamesfreeman2258]

Nope. Sides, Wheeler.

[@guimbanian25]

@@jamesfreeman2258nope Sides, Mitchell, wheeler and Smith are the problem. Smith attacked Wheeler to help Carrington and Carrington do as she pleases. Carrington is Smiths partner.

[@gloriavalencia9072]

Relax relax

[@paulburr5072]

I think the couch is the problem

[@malebovinemanure]

The team is a problem. They obviously don't want Clark on the team.

[@jeaniekim9951]

Yup… My couch has powers over me 😂 …Kidding around!

[@JCUrbanChronicles]

@@malebovinemanure Should the league maybe get a team in Alaska, put Clark on it and build around her?

[@Lee-fe2kh]

Smith, Mitchell and Boston will all be gone

[@JCUrbanChronicles]

So build around Clark, Temi, Samuelson and any other player crazy...oops I mean good enough to play in a system that Clark is more comfortable in?

[@Lee-fe2kh]

It’s not about comfort it’s about running a completely different offense and drafting players that can play in that offense. That’s all I’m saying

[@YouAREyoubeYou]

@JCUrban what they are really saying is to draft more white girls to provide defense for Clark so she can chunk up logo threes. It’s their dog whistle talking points…..

[@timothylopez-p5f]

with Christie it goes unspoken..lol where is the leadership

[@victorforeman7056]

Sides is the kind of coach that doesn’t really like rookies but she loves Boston for whatever reason. It really doesn’t make sense because the fever was horrible last season and she misses so many bunnies right under the basket. Totally idiotic.

[@X3bands]

Doesn't set proper screens.

[@NightOwl-xz5eb]

Sides will gone before CC is. Looks like Sides would realize that and learn these they jealous petty teammates how to set a proper screen.

[@victorforeman7056]

They’re just fine with throwing this season away because if they were serious about winning Temi and CC would start and never leave the floor unless there’s foul trouble or just to get a blow. But you must have the best 5 on the floor as much as possible and favoritism doesn’t exactly equate to wins.

[@maryjensen8428]

Mitchell was second best ad had 1/2 of the rebounds and assist. She should play in the Harlan globetrotters she likes to play that way

[@abc631]

She is a ball hog, horrible teammate, and does not belong in professional sports.

[@Sir_Porthos]

The veteran leaders dont seem to actually care about the rookies... Like expecting a rookie to just know what they need and then do that as they go through ups and downs is not realistic. Rookies need gudiance from the vets.. look at the Aces.

[@YouAREyoubeYou]

So you must be at alll the practices and in locker room since you know that they don’t support her….🙄

[@Lee-fe2kh]

If they want an effective Clark this whole team is going to change, the offense has to change, there needs to be massive trades but when it’s over there will be a winner in indiana

[@Bubbievdog]

Mitchell is selfish and never gives up the ball.

[@gloriavalencia9072]

Love you Kelsey you're a very good player aggressive love it❤

[@victorforeman7056]

From what I’ve seen, the fever is just fine with another mediocre season and they don’t seem to really prioritize winning or making the playoffs.

[@jamesfreeman2258]

FIRE SIDES

[@ChrisDavis-dt6xx]

Christie Sides makes Nancy Pelosi look beautiful

[@glenndavis5349]

Fire Sides.

[@diIbert]

Big game for Fever Sunday. A win will give them a .500 record with momentum to overtake Dream at 3rd spot in Conference. Need a big game by big Boston. Need a big game by CC. Need Kelsey to be a livewire.

[@victorforeman7056]

He should’ve done that year’s ago

[@YouAREyoubeYou]

Clark fans are so bitter and insufferable? Just read these comments. This woman is talking about how she loves her family specially her dad and all you guys can talk about is passing Clark the ball and how horrible Sides is. 🤮 Can you say anything nice about anyone other than Clark? Is she the only human in America-it’s so weird

[@AmourThink79]

It is so disgusting! The world does not revolve around CC.

[@YouAREyoubeYou]

I mean I get it-we love the fact that she’s bringing viewership; however, at what cost for players other than Clark?

[@AmourThink79]

@@YouAREyoubeYou The fans don't realize that in doing this, they further isolate CC from the rest of the team...Sucks all the way around.

[@TheProchargedmopar]

👍💪 Kelsey has heart too.. ❤❤

[@PronounsFU]

And low assist, rebounds, blocks & steels. She's nothing but a ball hog.

[@ChrisDavis-dt6xx]

@@PronounsFUyou are exactly right

[@coxfordGamer]

The players are entertaininers that's their role towards the public. And if the public doesn't like you're style they will take their money and eyes elsewhere. It's a business and if they don't want to go back to 4k turn out they need to give the style the people want to see.

[@DarkAngel-zf3ck]

The starting 5 should be players from the 2023 season. Bench Clark.

[@coxfordGamer]

There's a problem with that if they started benching clark they will lose money, because people will stop coming.

[@annetteaumiller3681]

trade clark you dot want her anyway. then you can play with your starting 5 .

[@coxfordGamer]

​@@annetteaumiller3681I agree that are get her a new coach. The players are entertainers they are hired to entertain. And if people don't like your style of entertainment they will take their money else where.

[@DarkAngel-zf3ck]

@@coxfordGamer Who will lose money? And if people stop coming to the stadium, how does this affect Clark. She gets paid whether she sits on the bench or plays on the court.

[@coxfordGamer]

​@DarkAngel-zf3ck more people means more money, the wnba is a business just like the NBA. The more people the more money for everyone.

[@hanidallou2886]

Ball HOG

[@qlazz]

You have the 1st pick. The NCAA alltime scorer and you defer to other players. Coach needs to build around CC and not the others. CC's sky has no limit. They will alwys be boring and mediocre if this continues. When MJ arrived, the team stepped back and embraced that he was the ONE. This team needs to udersatand this. Although a good player, nobody went to the Bulls game to watch Orlando Woolridge or John Paxton. I believe they understood that. SMH

[@YouAREyoubeYou]

Clark with MJ references is wild 😜

[@joeyirc]

People need to take this woman aside and explain how passing works in this sport. She really has no clue. Great talent but there's a screw loose.

[@X3bands]

Lazy screens. College players set better screens or CC teammates are purposely not setting them correctly. How does Dawn Staley not teach proper screening.