Surviving the Late Scratches: Depth and Young Legs Carry Saturday’s WNBA Slate

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Last night’s WNBA games showed what a team can do when your star player is down. It also showed that even when you are in the midst of a rough start to your season, there is always time to right the ship. And lastly, don’t get too much better when your rookies and 2nd-year players step up when needed. Let’s take a look at last night’s WNBA action.

Short-Handed Mercury Out-Grit Tempo in Toronto

The Phoenix Mercury went into Scotiabank Arena without Alyssa Thomas and left with a tough 89-80 road win over the Toronto Tempo. The league suspended Thomas for a game after her flagrant foul on Caitlin Clark, stripping Phoenix of their primary facilitator. Toronto suffered their own roster blow when Marina Mabrey sat out with late-reported neck spasms, just two days after she scored 53 points against Los Angeles.

Kahleah Copper carried the offensive load for Phoenix, scoring 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting. Valeriane Ayayi stepped up off the bench with a career-high 20 points to provide much-needed interior scoring. DeWanna Bonner anchored the glass with 11 rebounds and chipped in 13 points, helping Phoenix outscore Toronto 24-14 in the final frame.

Toronto landed six players in double figures, led by Nyara Sabally’s 14 points. Julie Allemand ran the offense well, logging 11 points, 10 assists, and seven boards. However, Phoenix won the game at the free-throw line, outscoring Toronto by 15 points at the stripe.

Fever Throttle Maimed Sparks Lineup

The matchup between Indiana and Los Angeles lost its perimeter star power before tip-off. Back spasms sidelined Indiana’s Caitlin Clark, while Los Angeles lost Kelsey Plum for at least a month to a left leg injury. Indiana adjusted far better to the missing personnel, using a blistering third quarter to dismantle the Sparks 111-87.

Kelsey Mitchell filled the scoring void beautifully for the Fever, putting up 26 points on a highly efficient 9-of-13 shooting display. Aliyah Boston did her damage early, scoring 15 of her 17 points in the first half to establish total control in the paint. Tyasha Harris started in Clark’s spot and kept the offense moving with 16 points.

Los Angeles offered zero resistance inside and became the first team in WNBA history to give up 110-plus points in consecutive games. Nneka Ogwumike fought hard for 17 points, and Dearica Hamby added 15. The Sparks simply lack the depth to compete when their premier guard sits, especially against a Fever squad that shot 55% from the floor.

Rookies Ignite Storm to Pull Away From Dream

Seattle jumped all over Atlanta early and never looked back, securing a 105-90 victory. Rookies Flau’jae Johnson and Awa Fam controlled the floor from the opening whistle. Fam hit three quick three-pointers to fuel a 12-0 game-opening run, and Seattle never trailed.

Johnson finished with a spectacular line, matching 24 points with 11 rebounds on 9-of-12 shooting. Fam finished with 21 points, missing only one shot all night and going 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. Natisha Hiedeman ran the point smoothly for Seattle, adding 20 points and six assists to keep Atlanta’s defense scrambling.

Rhyne Howard tried to salvage the night for the Dream with a gritty 27-point performance. Angel Reese fought inside for 17 points and nine rebounds, but Atlanta could never clear the double-digit deficit. Seattle has now put together two straight wins, rebounding well after enduring an ugly 11-game losing skid earlier this summer.

Conclusion

The Storm and Flau’jae Johnson have gotten off to a rough start. But now, they have their young core for the future on the floor in Johnson, Awa Fam, and Dominique Molanga. This trio is only going to get better. We also see that once again, when a big bucket is needed, Kelsey Mitchell will deliver.