The 2023-24 WNBA season is kicking off tonight and we have an exciting fixture right away. The Phoenix Mercury will be facing the Los Angeles Sparks tonight at the Crypto.com Arena. LA has been a busy place in recent days, with the Lakers making it to the NBA Conference Finals as well. The Sparks will be aiming to kick the season off with a win at home.
ThePhoenix Mercuryhas been quite unfortunate in recent seasons. They made it to the playoffs in 2022, only to be dismantled with ease by top-seeded Los Angeles Aces. They won t also be aiming for anything less than a win tonight, and there is a special someone who can lead the Mercury to the finish line tonight.
Brittney Griner is expected to feature in the Phoenix Mercury vs Los Angeles Sparks game tonight
Brittney Grinerfinally made her WNBA return. She was detained in Russia for ten months and was only released in December 2022. The last time Brittney set foot on a WNBA court was in 2021. The entire world has been waiting for the Mercury legend to ball out again, and it is expected to happen tonight.
The @PhoenixMercury injury report ahead for their game tomorrow vs the Sparks:
Megan Gustafson OUT (Left Foot)
Shey Peddy OUT (Right Achilles)
Sophie Cunningham OUT (Left Knee)
Skylar Diggins-Smith NWT (Maternity Leave)#valleytogether @Winsidr
Matt Cohen (@matt_cohenWBB) May 18, 2023
Sophie Cunningham, Megan Gustafson, Shey Peddy, and Skylar Diggins-Smith will all be on the sidelines tonight. As for the Sparks, they will miss a few important players. Azura Stevens, Jasmine Thomas, and Katie Lou Samuelson are on theSparks injury reportfor tonight s game.
Phoenix Mercury injury report
- Megan Gustafson (out)
- Shey Peddy (out)
- Sophie Cunningham (out)
- Skylar Diggins-Smith (out)
Phoenix Mercury expected roster
- Brianna Turner
- Brittney Griner
- Diana Taurasi
- Moriah Jefferson
- Sug Sutton
Los Angeles Sparks injury report
- Azura Stevens (out)
- Jasmine Thomas (out)
- Katie Lou Samuelson (out)
Los Angeles Sparks expected roster
- Nneka Ogwumike
-
ChineyOgwumike
- Layshia Clarendon
- Lexie Brown
- Zia Cooke
Can Brittney Griner lead the Mercury to a win in her first game back?
Brittney played in the pre-season game against the Sparks, but she was nowhere near her former self. However, BG was decent considering she hadn t played professional basketball for more than a year. She put up 10 points, 1 block, and 3 rebounds. The stakes are surely higher this time around as the regular season is a lot more competitive.
The Sparks managed to take the win despite Brittney s cameo and Diana Taurasi s contribution of 13 points. The Ogwumike sisters, Chiney and Nneka, led the Sparks to a win in the pre-season game. However, we can predict Brittney and Diana to step up tonight, and take control of the ship. There is surely a huge chance that Diana has a better game this time around.
