The Los Angeles Sparks will hit the road against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday, looking to get back in the win column after dropping their home opener, 89-75 against the Minnesota Lynx. But it appears they will be even more short-handed than they already were as Rickea Jackson popped up on the Sparks’ injury report.

Rickea Jackson was listed as being out on the Sparks’ injury report against the Mercury due to concussion protocol. Jackson took a hit to the face from Lynx forward Alanna Smith while going after a loose ball near the end of the third quarter. She exited the game and did not return. Following the game, Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts did not have any further information regarding Jackson’s status.

Jackson will presumably be out until she clears the league’s concussion protocol. Her absence leaves an already thin Sparks rotation even more depleted. During the team’s first two games of the season, they’ve managed only eight total points off the bench. Following the Sparks’ loss to the Lynx, Roberts attributed the team’s lack of bench production to the early injuries they’ve sustained.

“We need to get healthy. We don’t have a lot of depth there. It’s not like I’m choosing to not play Rickea in the second, she’s hurt. I’d love to put Rae [Burrell] in, she’s on crutches,” Roberts said. “We get Julie Allemand back soon, that will help. But again, we’re figuring things out in terms of rotations and all the stuff, and we’ll keep evaluating that. But I would really love to play more players.”

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In addition to Jackson being out, the Sparks will also be without Rae Burrell for an extended period of time. The fourth-year guard suffered a leg injury against the Valkyries on opening night and is expected to be out for six-to-eight weeks. That would presumably put her around All-Star Weekend as far as a potential return to the lineup.

The Sparks began the season without Cameron Brink and Julie Allemand. Brink is still recovering from last season’s ACL tear with no definitive timetable for her return. Allemand is nursing a knee injury from the offseason, but as Roberts remarked, should be available soon.

In response to the Sparks’ mounting injury woes, the team added Liatu King on a hardship contract. King will be available for the team’s game against the Mercury. She was originally selected by the Sparks with the No. 28 overall pick in the draft, but was cut before the start of the season.