Before tipoff, Fever head coach Christie Sides appeared unsure of the right path to take with the team's key starters in a non-consequential game against Washington. While Sides said she'd be "cautious" with their minutes,

"Kelsey is good," Christie Sides said. "Once she went down ... I just made the decision right then she was just going to get ready for Sunday."

On Thursday night, the Fever raced out to an 18-2 lead, but the Mystics playing for their playoff lives, fought back and took control of the game by halftime. The lead swelled in the second half before Christie Sides turned to her bench.