Mercury look to end skid against Mystics team on the rise

In the midst of a three-game losing streak, the Phoenix Mercury aim to break out of the funk Sunday when they visit the Washington Mystics.

Phoenix (15-9) let a second-half lead slip away in an 89-76 loss to the host New York Liberty on Friday but still maintain the third-best overall record in the WNBA.

Meanwhile, Washington (12-12) found the win column again, ending a two-game losing streak with a 69-58 home victory over the Seattle Storm on Saturday. The Mystics had won three straight prior to the back-to-back losses.

Alyssa Thomas played well in defeat for the Mercury on Friday, nearly recording a triple double with 20 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. The All-Star forward said the team isn't hanging its head.

"I wouldn't say it's anything mental or physical. We don't get down on ourselves," Thomas told reporters. "It's a long season.

"The beauty is we get to play another game pretty soon," she continued. "So we learn from our mistakes and move on to the next game."

Phoenix is just 6-5 on the road and is headed into the second game of a five-game road swing.

The good news for the Mercury is they welcomed back leading scorer Satou Sabally from an ankle injury earlier this week. She had missed four contests, plus the All-Star Game, but still owns an 18.1 points per game average.

Kaleah Copper and Thomas are averaging 15.5 and 15.1 points, respectively, though Copper has appeared in just eight games this season following recovery from knee surgery.

Washington looks to avenge a 68-62 road loss to Phoenix on May 25 while also keeping its head above water in the playoff hunt.

Washington, which went 14-26 in 2024 to miss the postseason, is seventh in the standings and would be in the playoffs if they started today.

Despite the Mystics' postseason potential, head coach Sydney Johnson wants his team to be where its feet are, according to the Washington Post.

"It's a very real challenge to make sure that we keep getting better all the way through the season," Johnson said. "I don't know if that ends in a playoff spot, and that's not necessarily where my head is at."

Brittney Sykes leads the Mystics in scoring at 17.1 points per game. Rookie Sonia Citron ranks second in scoring (13.8) and has knocked down 36 3-pointers in 99 attempts (36.4 percent).

Shakira Austin led Washington in Saturday's win over Seattle, scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Austin has scored in double figures in three consecutive games.

The Mystics are 8-4 at home this season and have won seven of their last 11 overall.

--Field Level Media