Mercury vs. Mystics Preview: Mystics in Good Form After Recent Wins, Ready to Battle Hard Against Mercury for Playoff Spot

On September 6th at 10 AM, the WNBA regular season continues with the Phoenix Mercury hosting the Washington Mystics. The Mercury recently defeated the Dream and currently stand at 17 wins and 17 losses, ranking 7th in the league, having already secured a playoff spot. They now aim to improve their ranking. The Mercury are a team known for strong offense but weak defense, averaging 82.3 points per game while conceding an average of 84.2 points per game, placing them fourth from the bottom in the league. There is a noticeable difference between their home and away records, with a home record of 10 wins and 7 losses, and an away record of 7 wins and 10 losses. The Mercury’s starting lineup is impressive, featuring three members of the U.S. women’s national basketball team. Their top scorer is Cooper, who averages 22.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Griner, the dominant inside player, averages 18.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, while the veteran Taurasi averages 15.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Craig averages 11.6 points and 6.8 assists per game. The team’s offense heavily relies on these four players. Cunningham and Allen are the only consistent scoring options off the bench. Given the overall aging roster, the team’s stability is not great. The Mystics won a crucial game against the Wings in their playoff chase, improving their record to 10 wins and 23 losses, placing them 10th, just one game behind the 8th-ranked Sky, thus still maintaining playoff hopes. The Mystics’ offense is average, scoring only 79.2 points per game, which ranks fourth from the bottom in the league, with an average of 83.5 points conceded per game. The poor performance of the Mystics this season is largely due to personnel issues at the start of the season. Recently, their form has significantly improved, winning four out of their last five games, losing only to the Sun. The Mystics lack star power, with Atkins as their top scorer averaging only 15.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Austin averages 12.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game but is sidelined due to injury. Sykes and Dolson also score in double digits on average. Additionally, Samuelson, Edwards, and Vanloo all average more than 7 points per game, making the Mystics’ scoring very distributed. Although they lack star power, when multiple players contribute, it often leaves opponents struggling to cope. The two teams have met twice this season, with the Mercury emerging victorious both times, though the margins were slim, including a narrow 3-point win. With the Mystics fighting hard for a playoff spot, their desire to win may be stronger, adding considerable suspense to this match.

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