At the Western Conference, two wonder teams go to the head-to-head for the second time-this time Phoenix Mercury visits Golden State Volcaries on Monday night in San Francisco.
The clubs met in Phoenix as part of the Commissioner Cup on 5 June, in which Ruki Lexi scored 24 points from the bench to 24 points from the bench in the 86-77 mercury home win.
Phoenix played the game without two of his top three scorers, missing Kahlih Copper (Arthroscopic Surgery on the left knee) and all-star forward Elisa Thomas (stressful to the left calf).
While Thomas has returned to play in the last 10 matches, during which Mercury has gone 8–2, Copper was not able to start its season till 15 June. Since then he has faced a right hamstring, which he can miss two more games and is allegedly out for Monday’s competition.
Without copper, the mercury is coming from an impressive homestand in which he defeated the Dallas Wings 102-72 before handing over the Minnesota Links to his third necklace, 79–71. Sammy Whitcomb exploded for a career-high 36 points in a win over wings, before Thomas made a way against Links with 29.
In 2024 (19-21), one down-500 team, Mercury, is 14–6 in this season and only links (18–4) in the west. Coach Nat Tibbets believe the best is still coming.
“This is actually a new team. I believe our three best players have played three games together this year, perhaps four.” “So we are still building.”
Meanwhile, the expansion Valkyries held a proper four-game journey, in which he lost three times with a total of 22 points of Links, Atlanta Dream and Las Vegas Aces. A decisive 80-61 win in Indianapolis in Indianapolis in Indianapolis.
Volcaries faced mercury without the second leading scorer Tiffany Hayes (nose injury) last month, then passed through an expanded period without Genel Salon, Cecilia Zandalasini and Tammy Fagbenal as they represented their respective countries in the Eurobacket.
The three of them contributed a total of 41 points to the loss of 104–102 in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Valkyries had its best aggressive game of the year against ACES, but also set a season higher in the allowed points. Later upset coach Natalie Nakez impressed him from the east.
“We never know what our shooting percentage is going to be. This is something that is out of our control,” he told a media gathering after the loss. “But most importantly, we are going to win on our defense basis, so we have to show every day (defensively).”
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