The Phoenix Mercury have made a strong push as WNBA contenders this season, but their depth will face a major test in Wednesday’s pivotal showdown against the Minnesota Lynx. With playoff seeding on the line, Phoenix confirmed that both Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper will be sidelined—disrupting the team’s game plan just one day before a marquee Western Conference clash.

In the team’s latest injury report, the Mercury announced that Sabally will miss the game with a right ankle injury, while Copper is out due to a right hamstring strain. Both are key players for Phoenix, and their absences are a major setback—especially with the Lynx holding the top spot in the Western Conference standings at 19-4.

“Mercury injury report vs. Lynx:
Monique Akoa Makani – OUT (Concussion)
Kahleah Copper – OUT (Right Hamstring)
Lexi Held – NWT (Pneumothorax)
Satou Sabally – OUT (Right Ankle)”

The 27-year-old German-American forward’s injury hits hard, as Sabally leads Phoenix in both scoring (19.1 PPG) and rebounding (7.7 RPG) this season. Her ability to stretch defenses and guard multiple positions has been central to the team’s recent 8-2 run. A 3-time WNBA All-Star (2021, 2023, 2025), Sabally also earned All-WNBA First Team honors and was named the league’s Most Improved Player in 2023. She previously received the Cheryl Miller Award and WNBA All-Rookie Team honors in 2020 and was recognized as a WBCA Coaches’ All-American during her collegiate career. No timeline was provided for her return.

Meanwhile, the injury to Copper continues to limit Phoenix’s perimeter punch. The guard, a former WNBA Finals MVP, has only appeared in six games this year but has averaged an impressive 16.7 points per outing while shooting 44.8% from deep. Without her explosive transition play, Phoenix loses a critical weapon in its offensive attack.

The Mercury vs. Lynx matchup carries major postseason implications. At 15-6, Phoenix holds second place in the Western Conference, trailing Minnesota by just 3.5 games. But with several key contributors unavailable—including Monique Akoa Makani and Lexi Held—the Mercury’s depth will be under the microscope in one of their toughest tests of the season.

Despite these injuries, the Phoenix Mercury remain one of the league’s best two-way teams, ranking in the top four in both scoring and defense. The team has managed adversity well, but missing Sabally and Copper at once is a rare blow to both talent and leadership.

The spotlight will be on Alyssa Thomas and the rest of the core to hold things together. Wednesday night's game isn’t just about playoff seeding, it’s a gut-check moment for a Mercury team looking to prove they’re still elite, even shorthanded.