While the Phoenix Mercury hope to wrap up their disappointing season with a strong closing stretch, the Dallas Wings are limping toward the postseason with a series of injuries. They’ll welcome the Mercury to Arlington, Texas, on Saturday.
Rookie guard Azzi Fudd is out after undergoing knee surgery, forward Alanna Smith sustained a lower left leg injury during the FIBA Women’s World Cup, guard Sug Sutton had a season-ending right hand injury at practice this week and was waived and guard Odyssey Sims made an early exit from Thursday’s 97-77 win against the visiting Los Angeles Sparks because of a right knee injury.
Sims’ availability for Dallas (25-16) against Phoenix (15-26) is undetermined.
The concentration of injuries in the backcourt puts the Wings in a precarious position if starting point guard Paige Bueckers must leave the game.
“Proud of the group with everything that these guys have gone through,” coach Jose Fernandez said after the win over Los Angeles, Dallas’ fifth straight. “Losing Azzi, and Alanna not being available, and Sug having a season-ending injury was difficult.
“Now, we’ll find out what’s the deal with (Sims) and where she’s at. We’re going to have to figure out from a versatility standpoint who can play the point guard spot when Paige is not on the floor.”
The Wings are in a tight cluster between the Washington Mystics and New York Liberty for sixth through eighth place, but mathematically they can rise to a top-four seed before the regular season concludes.
Three contests remain for the Wings, including a return game at Phoenix on Monday.
Dallas won the first matchup with Phoenix 85-70 at home on June 11 behind 31 points from Bueckers.
Mercury guard Kahleah Copper reportedly is out for Saturday’s game due to a groin injury, while guard Kelsey Plum is out for the season with a lower leg injury.
Copper, an All-Star averaging a career-high 21.3 points per game this year, did not play in Thursday’s 94-91 win at the Portland Fire because of the groin issue.
Rookie guard Shay Ciezki had a career-high 22 points off the bench, including 17 points in the third quarter.
“She comes in to work every day and the team’s veterans enjoy having her around,” Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts said of Ciezki. “She has the ability to make shots and play with or without the ball.”
–Field Level Media
