DALLAS – Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White and guard Aari McDonald wanted more, and the latter followed through in Friday’s 94-86 victory at Dallas.
While letting late leads slip away had become too trendy, White also believed her team needed better starts. She inserted McDonald, a little over 48 hours into her second stint with the team this season, into the starting lineup spot opened by Caitlin Clark’s groin injury.
McDonald had been one of the few bright spots of Thursday’s home loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. She provided 14 points and a pair of steals off the bench — helping fill some of Clark’s missing production. Yet she arrived in Dallas early the next morning unhappy with her return.
“I’m kind of hard on myself,” McDonald said prior to Friday’s tipoff. “I feel like I could have done a better job last night.”
McDonald accepted her own challenge, and in the process proved her coach correct. With 14 points and six assists, the fifth-year veteran served as the second catalyst needed when Kelsey Mitchell’s playmaking demanded more of the Wings’ attention.
As it turned out, having McDonald in at the end of the game proved equally important as having her out there to start. Her driving layup with 4:01 remaining broke an 82-82 tie. The Fever never trailed again, and McDonald rolled downhill for another bucket with one minute remaining which all but iced the win.
“It’s an unbelievable pickup for us,” Mitchell said after her own 32-point performance in the win. “She’s great on both ends. She’s a gut-checker too. We kind of like gritty players, and our team, we want that to be our DNA.
“Even though we don’t pass the look contest as far as guards and being short, we bring a lot to the table when it comes to wanting to be the best on both ends of the floor. I think that’s what you see from Aari McDonald.”
White said prior to the game she wanted to see if starting McDonald and bringing fellow veteran guard Sydney Colson off the bench triggered something. She cited McDonald’s ability to play downhill and the energy she brought defensively.
McDonald accepted that assignment with gusto. On three consecutive possesions, she knocked down a jumper, scored on a runner off Natasha Howard’s assist, then assisted on a Mitchell layup.
Those were the opening salvos of what became a game-opening 19-3 barrage. McDonald was not the lone instigator of that start, but her impact was palpable.
“Just knowing her from playing against her being on other teams, she’s always going to work hard,” Colson said. “She can shoot the ball. She’s gonna defend hard. She’s a great addition to our team energy wise, attitude-wise, playing-wise — just looking to attack for herself and looking to create for others.”
Mitchell after the game talked about all of the true pros on the roster with winning backgrounds. McDonald deserves a spot on that list. She starred at Arizona, putting off the WNBA draft to return for a fifth season and leading the Wildcats to the 2021 national championship game.
She had recently begun to bounce around the league a bit, though, after three seasons with Atlanta and one with Los Angeles. She re-signed with the Sparks in April but did not make the team’s final roster.
The Fever scooped her up as a roster hardship exception as Clark and Sophie Cunningham dealt with injuries. She was released June 13 when those guards returned. With Clark encountering a new ailment and DeWanna Bonner waived, the Fever last week signed McDonald for the remainder of the season.
Despite the on-again, off-again status, McDonald keeps producing. Friday’s game was her fourth straight in double-figure scoring — spread over three weeks and interrupted by that time off the roster. In an admittedly small five-game sample size, she’s off to career-best trends in scoring (12.0), steals (1.6) and field goal shooting (47.4%).
Asked to describe where the Fever miss Clark the most, McDonald’s eyes grew wide. She’s also seen other teams endure strretches with a sidelined star. She knows it’s about being reliable, not being a replacement.
“Obviously, we’re missing her passes,” McDonald said. “She’s what makes us go, her and (Aliyah Boston). Just seeing her chemistry with AB, the other guards can be better with getting her more touches down there.
“Now that CC is out, AB is the main focal point for teams’ scouting report. So it’s making sure we’re making it easier for AB, whether that’s moving, us being a screener for her — just making sure she’s getting to her spots and getting her touches.”
Clark will eventually return to claim that starting lineup spot. Until she does, McDonald likely earned another shot.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Fever addition Aari McDonald stepping up in Caitlin Clark’s place