Mercury Faces Mystics in Bid to End Losing Streak

Phoenix, Arizona – The Phoenix Mercury are looking to end a three-game losing streak as they prepare to face the Washington Mystics on Sunday. The Mercury (15-9) let a second-half lead slip in their last game, leading to an 89-76 loss against the New York Liberty on Friday. Despite the defeat, Phoenix maintains the third-best record in the WNBA.

In contrast, the Mystics (12-12) snapped their own two-game losing streak with a 69-58 victory over the Seattle Storm on Saturday. Washington had experienced a three-game winning streak prior to the recent defeats.

Alyssa Thomas stood out for the Mercury in the loss, nearly achieving a triple-double with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists. Thomas emphasized that the team isn’t feeling discouraged. “I wouldn’t say it’s anything mental or physical. We don’t get down on ourselves,” she told reporters. “It’s a long season. The beauty is we get to play another game pretty soon, so we learn from our mistakes and move on to the next game.”

As they continue a five-game road trip, the Mercury will be looking to improve their current 6-5 record away from home. Their lineup has received a boost with the return of leading scorer Satou Sabally, who missed four games due to an ankle injury. Sabally has an average of 18.1 points per game.

Meanwhile, Kaleah Copper and Thomas average 15.5 and 15.1 points, respectively. Copper has played in only eight games this season due to recovery from knee surgery.

The Mystics will aim to avenge a previous loss to Phoenix, where they fell 68-62 on May 25. Currently sitting at seventh in the standings, Washington is in contention for the playoffs, having missed the postseason in 2024 with a record of 14-26.

“It’s a very real challenge to make sure that we keep getting better all the way through the season,” said Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson, as reported by the Washington Post. “I don’t know if that ends in a playoff spot, and that’s not necessarily where my head is at.”

Leading scorer Brittney Sykes is averaging 17.1 points per game for the Mystics, with rookie Sonia Citron following closely at 13.8 points per game. Citron has successfully made 36 out of 99 three-point attempts this season.

Shakira Austin was pivotal in Washington’s win over Seattle, contributing 14 points and 11 rebounds. She has scored in double figures for three consecutive games. The Mystics have an impressive home record of 8-4 this season and have won seven of their last 11 games overall.