Indiana Fever at Phoenix Mercury
Thursday, June 29, 2023
Footprint Center | 10 p.m. ET

Broadcast Information
Fever Facebook/NBA TV
Pat Boylan (play-by-play), Bria Goss (analyst)

The Indiana Fever (5-9) will finish the longest roadtrip of the 2023 season in Phoenix to take on the Mercury on Thursday for a 10 p.m. ET tip. Indiana enters the matchup 1-2 in this west coast road swing after defeating the Seattle Storm, 80-68, on June 22 but fell to the Las Vegas Aces on June 24, 101-88, and June 26, 88-80.

In the first matchup between Phoenix and Indiana this season, the Fever fell, 85-82, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. NaLyssa Smith shot 11-of-19 from the floor to notch a career-best 29 points while pulling down 12 rebounds. She was followed in the scoring column by Fever guards Erica Wheeler and Kelsey Mitchell who recorded 17 and 12 points respectively. Phoenix was led by Brittney Griner, who netted 29 points on 9-of-13 shooting. After three quarters of back-and-forth play, the Mercury started the fourth quarter with a 10-0 run that ultimately sealed the victory.

Last time out for Indiana, the reigning champion Aces narrowly escaped with the win over the Fever. Prior to their most recent matchup, Las Vegas had been outscoring opponents by an average of 15.9 points per game, but Indiana only fell by an average of 8.3 points in each of the three games between the two teams in the regular season. The Fever defense also forced Las Vegas, who records the least amount of turnovers in the league, to 15 turnovers.

On Monday, the Fever were led in scoring by four players who scored in double-figures. Rookie center Aliyah Boston and guard Erica Wheeler were the leading scorers for Indiana with 20 points each. Wheeler recorded three assists to go along with her season-high offensive output, while Boston contributed her fourth double-double of the season with 14 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. NaLyssa Smith pitched in 13 points and 14 rebounds to record her eighth double-double of the season, and Kelsey Mitchell contributed 14 points on the night.

WNBA All-Star starter Boston has continued making a case for the Rookie of the Year recognition as she leads the league in field goal percentage averaging 63.6 percent from the floor, followed by the Mercury’s Griner at 61.4 percent. Boston also leads all 2023 rookies in scoring average (15.9 ppg), rebounds (8.5 rpg), blocks (1.6 bpg) and minutes played (29.7 mpg).

Also on the cusp of WNBA All-Star recognition are Smith and Mitchell. In her second year with the Fever, Smith averages a double-double as she is third in the league in rebounding averaging 10.2 rebounds per game, while also averaging 14.7 points per contest. The sixth-year guard Mitchell is leading the team in scoring with 17.1 points per game, earning her a near top-ten spot in the WNBA scoring average ranking.

Indiana is currently ranked third in the league in rebounding averaging 36.6 rebounds per game, while Phoenix ranks last averaging 28.9 per game.

The Mercury enter the matchup in the midst of a six-game losing streak, all of which lost by double figures. Following a head coaching change made on Sunday, Thursday’s matchup with the Fever will be Nikki Blue’s second game as interim head coach. The Mercury fell to Dallas, 77-62, last time out on Tuesday and were led in the scoring column by Griner with 20 points, Michaela Onyenwere with 12 points and Moriah Jefferson with 11 points.

In her tenth season with the Mercury, Griner leads the team in scoring (19.2 ppg), rebounds (6.8 rpg) and blocked shots (2.4 bpg). She is followed by Diana Taurasi at 14.1 points and 5.1 assists per game on average.

Probable Starters

Indiana Fever (5-9)

Guard – Kelsey Mitchell (17.1 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 2.4 apg)
Guard – Erica Wheeler (9.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 5.1 apg)
Guard – Lexie Hull (5.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 0.9 apg)
Forward – NaLyssa Smith (14.7 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Center – Aliyah Boston (15.9 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.6 bpg)

Phoenix Mercury (2-11)

Guard – Sophie Cunningham (13.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.1 apg)
Guard – Diana Taurasi (14.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.1 apg)
Guard – Sug Sutton (10.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 5.5 apg)
Forward – Michaela Onyenwere (9.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.7 apg)
Center – Brittney Griner (19.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.4 bpg)

Game Status Report

Indiana: TBA
Phoenix: TBA