Washington Mystics vs Phoenix Mercury: Injury Report, Starting 5, Prediction and More on Tonight’s WNBA Preview

There’s not much at stake apart from pride and momentum for both teams during the upcoming Washington Mystics vs Phoenix Mercury game. Phoenix has already secured a spot for the postseason, while Washington is out of the playoff race.

The Phoenix Mercury are on the final leg of their regular season and would like to enter the playoffs with a series of wins. They have already won their last five games. On the other hand, the Mystics have lost their last five games. Having nothing to lose now, the team can freely play their natural game and would hope to end their 2025 season with a win. But what is the state of injured players of both teams, and who will start the game for each team? Let’s find out.

Washington Mystics vs Phoenix Mercury: Where to watch

Date: Thursday, September 4, 2025

Time: 4:30 PM PST/7:30 PM EST

Venue: CareFirst Arena, Washington, DC

There are multiple options for the fans to watch this game. Prefer courtside? The tickets are available on the official WNBA page. Like the comfort of your home? The game will be broadcast on Monumental Sports Network, Arizona’s Family Sports, and Merc+. Prefer streaming? The clash can be tuned in via WNBA League Pass.

Washington Mystics vs Phoenix Mercury: Injury Report

Heading into the matchup, the Mystics are the ones feeling the brunt of injuries more than the Mercury. Below is the full list of injured players for both teams.

Washington Mystics

Jacy Sheldon: Out (Right ankle injury) Georgia Amoore: OFS (Out For Season)

Sheldon joined the team on August 7 and has not been able to contribute much due to injury. She hurt her right ankle on August 13 against the Dallas Wings. Furthermore, she has no timeline set for her return and is most probably out for the season, looking at the few games remaining for Washington. On the other hand, Amoore’s absence stems from the injury she suffered early in the season during training camp. She suffered a right ACL injury, unfortunately, effectively ending her entire 2025 season.

Phoenix Mercury

At present, Mercury’s roster is completely healthy, a surprising development in what has been one of the most injury-plagued seasons. With the list of injured players out of the way for both sides, we can now shift focus to the projected starting five for both teams.

Predicted Starting Lineup

Washington Mystics

Sonia Citron Alysha Clark Shakira Austin Sug Sutton Kiki Iriafen

Phoenix Mercury

Alyssa Thomas Satou Sabally Natasha Mack Kahleah Copper Monique Akoa Makani

Washington Mystics vs Phoenix Mercury: Who will secure victory?

If you look at the two teams, you’d probably pick Phoenix to win this game. Furthermore, the stats heavily favor their side, too. They are currently scoring 83.1 points and letting in 79.6 points. Washington is doing the complete opposite, scoring only 77.9 while letting in 81.6. The two teams will enter the game in two different moods. The Mercury will be on cloud nine entering after a five-game win streak. The Mystics will enter the game looking to break the curse of the seven-game skid.

But don’t count Washington out just yet. They have the home court advantage, playing in their CareFirst Arena. They also have two rookie starters, Iriafen and Citron, who play like they have 5 years of experience under their belt. Iriafen also secured the rookie of the month award at the start of the season. They are just one game away from finding the rhythm they had at the start of the season. However, opposite to these two ROTY contenders is the dark horse of the MVP race, Alyssa Thomas.

Jul 14, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Phoenix Mercury huddle during the second quarter against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Thomas has 20 double-doubles and a season-high 7 triple-doubles to her name this season in 35 games. Another player on the Phoenix roster that Washington should be wary of is DeWanna Bonner. The veteran, in her fifteenth season, shows no sign of stopping as she’s averaging 10.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. She can change the tides of the game at any moment thanks to her experience.

Each team enters this low-stakes game with its pros and cons. The scales, however, tip slightly in favor of Phoenix, looking at their past games. Washington is yet to secure a win against them this season. Even ESPN’s prediction gives the Phoenix Mercury a 58.8 per cent chance to win, while the Washington Mystics have the remaining 41.2 per cent chance. Will Mercury prevail, or will the Mystics cut their win streak? Answers to that will be revealed after the final whistle on Thursday.

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