Los Angeles Sparks (7-11, 6-6 Western Conference) at Phoenix Mercury (3-13, 1-10 Western Conference)
Phoenix; Sunday, 6 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles will look to break its three-game road skid when the Sparks take on Phoenix.
WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier are starting a new women’s basketball league to give top players another option to play in the U.S. in the offseason once the league’s prioritization rules go into effect next year.
Odyssey Sims is feeling a full-circle moment as she returns to the WNBA’s Dallas Wings. She was the hometown girl and co-star when the franchise moved to the Dallas area from Tulsa seven years ago.
The New York Liberty’s three-game road trip last week included multiple bus trips, two airplanes and three airports on the way from Connecticut to Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Aces continued their dominant run through the first part of the season with convincing wins over New York and Connecticut last week to move to 15-1.
The Mercury have gone 1-10 against Western Conference teams. Phoenix is 0-8 against opponents with a winning record.
The Sparks are 6-6 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles has a 4-4 record in games decided by 10 or more points.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Sparks won the last matchup 99-93 on June 3, with Lexie Brown scoring 26 points in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brittney Griner is scoring 19.8 points per game with 6.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists for the Mercury. Michaela Onyenwere is averaging 11.9 points and 5.3 rebounds over the last 10 games for Phoenix.
Jordin Canada is averaging 13 points, 5.8 assists and 1.8 steals for the Sparks. Nneka Ogwumike is averaging 18.8 points over the last 10 games for Los Angeles.
LAST 10 GAMES: Mercury: 2-8, averaging 76.5 points, 28.4 rebounds, 19.4 assists, 5.8 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 86.3 points per game.
Sparks: 3-7, averaging 75.9 points, 32.2 rebounds, 17.7 assists, 7.3 steals and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 41.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 81.3 points.
INJURIES: Mercury: Skylar Diggins-Smith: out (personal).
Sparks: Lexie Brown: out (illness), Layshia Clarendon: out (foot), Chiney Ogwumike: out (foot), Nia Clouden: out (knee), Jasmine Thomas: out (knee), Katie Lou Samuelson: out (personal).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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