WNBA Playoff Disappointment Magnifies as Brittney Griner Suffers Serious Injury Blow

The Las Vegas Aces, the defending WNBA champions, turned on an exceptional game as they demolished the Phoenix Mercury 94-73 Friday night. With 30 points and nine rebounds, A’ja Wilson led the charge and made the Aces’ pursuit for the top seed in the upcoming playoffs even more certain.

Meanwhile, WNBA playoff disappointment magnifies for the Mercury as Brittney Griner suffered a serious injury blow.

Brittney Griner tripped during the second quarter

With the WNBA playoffs around the corner, the anticipation has been building up in the recent games. Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray each contributed 17 and 14 points, while Kelsey Plum contributed 18 points during the Mercury and the Aces’ latest showdown. Gray also dished out an astounding 12 assists. The Aces now hold a stellar 33-6 record and are in a position to clinch the top playoff seed. They can accomplish this if they triumph over the Mercury in their Sunday rematch or if the second-seeded New York Liberty lose to Washington.

Despite a sluggish start to the game, the Aces eventually gained the upper hand by outscoring the Mercury 28-11 in the second quarter. Due to injury, major players including Diana Taurasi, Sophie Cunningham and Shey Peddy were unable to play for the Phoenix Mercury, who lost their 10th game in a row.

However, adding to the list of injuries, Brittney Griner sustained an ankle injury during the second quarter, forcing her to leave the game.

Brittney Griner suffered a potentially game-changing setback in the pivotal second quarter of the game. Griner tripped while attempting a drive to the hoop while being double-teamed. The excruciating fall forced her left ankle to twist. Griner was clearly uncomfortable after the encounter and had trouble standing up.

Despite the injuries, she was able to stand up and walk to the bench where her athletic trainer was waiting for her.

Thankfully, there have been no official WNBA updates indicating that Griner will miss the next game. She will most likely be playing on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Sug Sutton made franchise history by recording the first triple-double in the 28-year history of the team. Sutton scored 18 points, all of which came in the second half. She added 11 rebounds and 11 assists to her total. Megan Gustafson also added 14 points.

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Las Vegas kept up their superior play by outscoring Phoenix 24-17 in the third quarter to take a commanding 72-48 lead at the break. The struggling Mercury will find it difficult to snap their losing streak as this victory puts the Aces one step closer to defending their crown as they aim for the top slot in the playoffs.

The final game of the regular season

The highly anticipated WNBA matchup between Kelsey Plum’s Las Vegas Aces (33-6) and the ailing Phoenix Mercury (9-30) will go down on Sunday, September 10 at the T-Mobile Arena. The Aces are upbeat after recently defeating the Mercury 94-73 on the road. It’ll be interesting to see if the Aces can maintain their impressive play and claim another convincing victory.

The LA team have been a force to be reckoned with in terms of season statistics. They rank second in the league for points allowed, allowing just 80.2 per game. They also have the top offense in the league, scoring 92.6 points per game on average. The Aces often rank among the top teams in the league in rebounds, assists and turnovers, making them a versatile threat.

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Their ability to shoot three-pointers with accuracy has also been a standout feature of the Aces’ performance. With the Vegas stars making an incredible 9.2 threes per game with a 37.1% accuracy rate, the Mercury find themselves in a tough spot come Sunday. With their stellar record, the Aces are unquestionably the team to watch in this matchup.

Will Kelsey Plum and her teammates be able to secure the #1 seed? Let us know in the comments below!