As the Phoenix Mercury took the court against the Connecticut Sun for the fourth time this season, the home team missed one of their star players, Kahleah Copper. A standout this season, the 2024 Olympian was sidelined due to back discomfort. Playoffs already on schedule, Copper’s absence was a definite cause of concern. Well, head coach Nate Tibbetts is here to dismiss any worry.

Before leading her team onto the court at Footprint Center, Tibbetts took a moment to address the media in a pre-game press conference. Answering the questions on the back injury and when the issue began, the HC revealed there mustn’t be much to worry about.

“Yeah, I would say in the last 24 to 48 hours, you know. I — we — don’t think it’s anything serious,” said Tibbett via Desert Wave. This marks the first game Kahleah Copper has missed all season after playing in every one of the Mercury’s 36 fixtures so far. Tibbetts also shed light on the decision to keep Copper sidelined tonight, revealing the factors that led to this choice.

“We just – obviously there’s bigger games ahead – we want to be smart player first approach, and yeah we just we just think this is the best move for her in our organization,” stated the Mercury head coach.

Currently, Tibbetts’ team is holding the seventh seed and is in hot pursuit of the sixth spot held by the Indiana Fever. They are 1.5 games behind the Fever and will certainly look to assert their dominance. While Copper is sidelined, the Mercury will need someone to step up and fill her shoes. 

Kahleah Copper’s absence: Who replaced her?

In her first season with the Phoenix Mercury, Kahleah Copper has quickly become a standout player. After being traded from the Chicago Sky, where she spent seven seasons, Copper has made a significant impact, not only adjusting well to her new team but also elevating her game. She has averaged a career-high 21.6 points per game and leads the scoring chart for the Mercury.

In fact, the Rutgers alum has scored 44 points in the last three encounters against the Connecticut Sun this season. However, she wasn’t spotted during the Mercury’s shootaround practice as one of the media houses tweeted on X, “Phoenix Mercury forward Kahleah Copper – QUESTIONABLE (Back) – is not with the rest of the Mercury at shootaround.”

With Kahleah Copper sidelined, Celeste Taylor is stepping up to fill the gap. Though she’s only started one game out of the 11 she’s played this season, Taylor has averaged 3.4 points per game. Now, she has been tasked with helping the Mercury avoid a season sweep by the Sun. But with just 3 points through to the 4th quarter, the guard fell short while the Mercury trailed 70-44 heading into the last 10 minutes.