The Phoenix Mercury and Golden State Valkyries get a reprieve from the league’s elite when they meet in Phoenix on Thursday.
Each lost to the 8-0 Minnesota Lynx the last time out — the injury-depleted Mercury falling 88-65 on Tuesday in Minneapolis. The expansion Valkyries lost to the Lynx 86-75 on Sunday in San Francisco.
The Valkyries (2-4) enter on a three-game losing streak, all three against the 7-0 New York Liberty (twice) and the Lynx. The Mercury is 5-3, and their last two losses are to the Lynx.
Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts has yet to put his projected starting lineup on the floor this season. Forward Alyssa Thomas has missed the last three games with a calf injury, and projected starters guard Kahleah Copper (knee) and Natasha Mack (back) have not played at all.
“We’re just asking a lot of people to do some things that normally they’re not used to doing,” Tibbetts said. “We had three (new) players in the rotation. It makes it extremely tough to put a well-executed group out there. Everyone’s kind of learning on the fly.”
Forward Satou Sabally had 15 points and eight rebounds against the Lynx on Tuesday and leads the team with a 20.5 scoring average and 8.1 rebounds per game in her first season in Phoenix after being acquired from Dallas.
Sabally’s 6-of-16 shooting typified the team’s offensive troubles without No.2 scorer Thomas against the Lynx. Rookie guard Lexi Held had a team-high 16 points, but the Mercury shot 38.4 percent and made 5 of 30 3-point attempts.
The Valkyries take a “balanced attack” to the next level. Veronica Burton, Kayla Thornton and Janelle Salaun are averaging 12.0 points per game, although rookie Salaun has played one fewer game. Guard Tiffany Hayes is averaging 10.0.
Salaun averages a team-high 7.4 rebounds and Burton averages 4.2 assists.
“They’re unselfish,” coach Natalie Nakase said. “That’s the philosophy we talked about in picking these players. They always make the right play. That’s why you just never know who is going to be the leading scorer because they constantly move the ball.”
Burton had 21 points in the loss to Minnesota on Sunday when Kate Martin had a career-high 14, all in the second quarter. Five different players have led the Valkyries in scoring, with Burton the only repeater. Four have led in rebounds and assists.
–Field Level Media
