On Tuesday, the Phoneix Mercury will be facing off against the Washington Mystics for the 2nd time this season. This will be Phoenix’s only visit to the capital this season as their next matchup with Washington will take place back in Arizona. The last time they locked horns, it was Diana Taurasi and Co. who came away with a close 83-80 win. Even though it was at the start of the season, Phoenix did make that win count with Taurasi putting on a 20-point game alongside Natasha Cloud dishing 10 assists and Natasha Mack grabbing 9 rebounds.

So, let’s dive into the details as Washington prepares to host Phoenix in their city for another face-off.

Injury updates and starting 5 for Phoenix and Washington

For the Mercury, guards Sug Sutton and Charisma Osborne will not be playing today’s game and have been declared out. Sutton is going through a hamstring injury while Osborne is out with a leg injury.

As for the Mystics, Guard Didi Richards has some day-to-day soreness. Brittney Sykes’ foot injury is progressing well towards recovery, however, she will be able to play only after re-valuation following the Olympics break. Similarly, Shakira Austin too will probably come back next month as she is recovering from a hip injury. Karlie Samuelson is out with a hand injury that occurred in late June in a game against Dallas.

Talking about starting five, Mercury is set to deploy Natasha Mack, Brittney Griner, Natasha Cloud, Kahleah Copper, and Diana Taurasi. As for Washington, it is likely to be Didi Richards, Ariel Atkins, Julie Vanloo, Myisha Hines-Allen, and Stephanie Dolson.

Can Diana Taurasi and Co. end their losing streak before the Olympics break?

Since Taurasi’s and Griner’s brief absence from the games recently, all the other players have stepped up in their roles to the best of their ability and have kept the team in the playoff spots with a 12-12 record. Kahleah Copper is leading the lineup with 23.3 points per game. Veterans Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner continue to be effective on the floor despite limited appearances this season. Griner averages 18.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while DT has 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

As for the Mystics, Ariel Atkins owns the role of leading the team with 15.9 points per game. The team benefits from former Husky, Aaliyah Edwards grabbing 5.9 rebounds and Julie Vanloo dishing 5.1 assists in every game.

Although Washington does look weak with 2-3 players out with injury, plus they are moving with a 6-18 record, they have the potential to give tough competition to the Mercury. On the other side, Copper’s energy and Cloud’s backdoor passes make the game a whole lot more interesting as they leave their opponents dazed while clinching the victory beneath the opponent’s feet.

While ESPN’s predictor shows Washington with a 59% chance of winning this game at home, Phoenix would be fancying their chances if all their players are fit.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video: