Two surprise teams in the Western Conference go head-to-head for a second time \u2014 this time at closer to full strength \u2014 when the Phoenix Mercury visit the Golden State Valkyries on Monday night in San Francisco.<\/p>\n
The clubs met in Phoenix as part of the Commissioner\u2019s Cup on June 5, with rookie Lexi Held pouring in a season-best 24 points off the bench in an 86-77 Mercury home win.<\/p>\n
Phoenix played that game without two of its top three scorers, missing Kahleah Copper (arthroscopic surgery on left knee) and All-Star forward Alyssa Thomas (strained left calf).<\/p>\n
While Thomas has returned to play in the last 10 games, during which the Mercury have gone 8-2, Copper wasn\u2019t able to make her season debut until June 15. She has since suffered a strained right hamstring, causing her to miss two more games and she reportedly is out for Monday\u2019s contest.<\/p>\n
Without Copper, the Mercury are coming off an impressive homestand in which they beat the Dallas Wings 102-72 before handing the Minnesota Lynx just their third defeat, 79-71. Sami Whitcomb exploded for a career-high 36 points in the win over the Wings, before Thomas led the way against the Lynx with 29.<\/p>\n
The Mercury, a below-.500 team in 2024 (19-21), are 14-6 this season and trail only the Lynx (18-4) in the West. Coach Nate Tibbetts believes the best is still to come.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a really new team. I believe our three best players have played three games together this year, maybe four,\u201d Tibbetts noted to reporters last week. \u201cSo we\u2019re still building.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the expansion Valkyries held their own on a just-completed four-game trip in which they lost three times by a total of 22 points to the Lynx, Atlanta Dream and Las Vegas Aces. Interspersed was a decisive 80-61 win in Indianapolis over the Indiana Fever.<\/p>\n
The Valkyries faced the Mercury last month without second-leading scorer Tiffany Hayes (nose injury), then went through an extended period without Janelle Salaun, Cecilia Zandalasini and Temi Fagbenle as they represented their respective countries in EuroBasket.<\/p>\n
Those three contributed a total of 41 points to the 104-102 loss in Las Vegas on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The Valkyries had their best offensive game of the year against the Aces but also set a season high in points allowed. The latter bothered coach Natalie Nakase more than the former impressed her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe never know what our shooting percentage is going to be. It\u2019s something that\u2019s out of our control,\u201d she told a media gathering after the loss. \u201cBut most importantly, we are going to win based on our defense, so we have to show up (defensively) every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2013Field Level Media<\/p>\n
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