The Phoenix Mercury are in a battle to sneak into the WNBA Playoffs but may have just been dealt a deciding blow in their pursuit of the final postseason seed in the Western Conference. With Diana Taurasi already sidelined by an injury, ESPN's M.A. Vopel indicates that Skylar Diggins-Smith's status remains uncertain with just two games remaining on the slate.

Diggins-Smith missed each of the Mercury's previous two games. She was sidelined with a non-COVID-related illness for Saturday's game against the New York Liberty and was unavailable for personal reasons on Wednesday against the Minnesota Lynx.

With just two games left on the docket in the regular season, the Mercury find themselves tied with the Atlanta Dream, Liberty, and Lynx at 14-20. The LA Sparks are hot on their tails at 13-21, with all five teams still in contention to reach the playoffs.

Not having Diggins-Smith would be a significant blow for the Mercury. Diggins-Smith is Phoenix's leading scorer this year. The guard is averaging 19.7 points, 5.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game, showcasing her talent in all facets of the game. She's shooting 42.9% from the field but has struggled from 3-point range, converting at a 29.6% clip.

With Diggins-Smith and Taurasi both potentially sidelined for the final games of the regular season, the Mercury will be without its two leading scorers. Without the duo, Sophie Cunningham (12.9 PPG) and Diamond DeShields (12.8 PPG) will be tasked with taking on a larger role offensively.

The Mercury close out the season with consecutive home games against the Dallas Wings and Chicago Sky.