Alright, WNBA fans, get ready for some rare Wednesday matinee action because Phoenix is in Los Angeles for a 3 p.m. ET tip-off, and the Sparks have owned this season series. LA is looking to stay unbeaten against the Mercury, making this final game before the All-Star break a must-watch.
The Mercury’s Wild Ride to LA
The Phoenix Mercury are heading into this game after a seriously weird win. They snapped a five-game losing streak by beating Connecticut 72-63 on Sunday, a team widely seen as the worst in the league. That Mercury defense? It came to play, giving up their fewest points since August 2025 and forcing 21 turnovers, which led to 22 points. That’s the sixth time this season they’ve hit 20-plus points off opponent mistakes! But the offense, man, it was not humming. Phoenix shot just 41% from the field and a brutal 2-for-25 from beyond the arc. Get this: it was only the second time since 2016 that the franchise won a game making two or fewer three-pointers. Talk about finding a way! Veteran DeWanna Bonner was the spark, dropping a season-high 21 points with six boards. She just became the franchise’s all-time leading rebounder, passing Brittney Griner with 2,323 total boards in a Mercury uniform. And she’s only four rebounds away from passing Rebekkah Brunson for fifth in WNBA history. That’s legendary stuff right there. Plus, Natasha Mack is back from almost a month out, putting up four points and five boards in 20 minutes off the bench Sunday. She had a minutes restriction then, and you know she’ll have one today, too. These one-game trips before the All-Star break? Players absolutely hate ’em.
Sparks Are Searching for Answers After Four Straight Losses
On the flip side, the Los Angeles Sparks are sitting 10th in the WNBA at 10-15, and they’ve been struggling hard. They’re on a season-high four-game losing streak, and all those losses were on the road. The big issue? Turnovers. They’ve averaged 16 per game during this skid, and their head coach, Lynne Roberts, didn’t mince words. She said, “I don’t know what the biggest denominator is on it, but that is what’s happening is the lack of execution. I think it’s discipline. It’s focus.” You can’t argue with that. This team needs to tighten things up, especially against a Mercury squad that just feasted on turnovers. The good news for LA is Cameron Brink returned last week after a month out with injury. She’s been solid, totaling 29 points, 13 rebounds, and five blocks over her three games back. They’ll need her firing on all cylinders if they want to get things right before the break.
Neither of these teams would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. The Sparks are trying to claw their way back, and the Mercury just want some consistency. Can Los Angeles keep their perfect record against Phoenix alive, or will Bonner’s historic push and the Mercury’s weird winning formula finally break through? This matinee is going to be intense, and it sets the tone for the entire All-Star break.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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