Lynx-Phoenix game preview: Mercury will be without star guard Diana Taurasi
Taurasi will miss the rest of the regular season because of a quadriceps strain, but before that, Phoenix lost all three of its meetings this season with Minnesota.
Lynx update: The Lynx (13-20), coming off an 81-71 victory over Atlanta on Sunday at Target Center, are 3-0 against Phoenix this season. The Lynx won 84-71 on June 21 at Phoenix — their ninth consecutive victory in Phoenix dating to 2015 — and defeated the Mercury twice at Target Center. The Lynx have scored 100 or more points three times this season, including in both of their home victories over Phoenix. The Lynx defeated the Mercury 118-107 in two overtimes on July 12. ... C Sylvia Fowles, who needs 17 rebounds to become the leading rebounder in franchise history, blocked three shots Sunday to move into third place on the WNBA's career block list. ... F Aerial Powers missed Sunday's game because of a sore left knee.
Phoenix update: The Mercury (14-19) defeated New York 76-62 at home on Saturday to end a three-game losing streak. Phoenix is closing out the regular season with four consecutive games at home. Phoenix will play host to Dallas on Friday and Chicago on Sunday. ... G Diana Taurasi, who didn't play in the Mercury's past two games, will miss the rest of the regular season because of a quad strain. ... G Skylar Diggins-Smith sat out Saturday's game because of a non-COVID illness. ... G Diamond DeShields, who is averaging 13 points per game, scored 25 on Saturday. G Sophie Cunningham, who scored a career-high 36 points against the Lynx on July 12, scored 18 on Saturday.
Royce Lewis’ blazing start to his Twins career had him atop the ranking at the end of spring. But times have changed.