Skidding Mercury seek better defense in immediate rematch vs. Sun

The stumbling Phoenix Mercury bring a league-worst five-game losing streak into the second of back-to-back home games against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday.

The Mercury (8-18) allowed their opponent to hit at least 50% of their field-goal attempts for the fourth straight game in a 96-83 loss to the Sun (7-18) on Friday, when another opposing player -- this time guard Leila Lacan -- went off.

Lacan had a career-high 26 points on 10-of-13 shooting in the Sun's wire-to-wire win, in which they led by as many as 20. Minnesota's Kayla McBride had a season-high 37 points in the Mercury's previous game, a 104-100 road loss on Monday.

"We kind of are who we are right now," Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. "We're still searching for better basketball. We have not found that. This is our reality. We've got to decide if we're going to keep fighting when it gets hard.

"We play a good game or a competitive game, and then we don't come out and compete. ... The effort (from) one game to the next is frustrating."

The Mercury's current losing streak includes final-minute losses to contenders Minnesota and Indiana, a 48-point blowout at Las Vegas, and double-digit defeats to bottom feeders Chicago and Connecticut.

Phoenix opponents are shooting 46.8% from the field and 37.3% on 3-pointers, each in the bottom three of the league.

The Sun have won five of their last eight after losing 15 of their first 17. Brittney Griner (13.8 points per game) and Lacan (13.3 ppg) are the leading scorers on a team that, because of injuries, has used 13 different starting lineups in 26 games this season.

"We know that we have to create from our defense and everyone is engaged on this area of the floor," Sun coach Rachid Meziane said. " ... We want our defense to be our foundation."

Kahleah Copper (20.6 points) and Alyssa Thomas (14.5 points, team highs of 8.0 assists, 6.9 rebounds, 1.4 steals) are the only active Mercury players averaging double-figure points.

Thomas, who leads the league in assists, has six double-doubles this season after posting 23 double-doubles and eight triple-doubles in 2025, when she finished third in MVP voting.

Mercury forward Natasha Mack has missed the last eight games with a bone bruise in her left foot but is listed as probable for Sunday's game. She is averaging 9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds, career-highs in both in her fourth season in the league.

--Field Level Media