Atlanta Dream Could Be Without Two Stars vs Mercury

The Atlanta Dream are traveling to Phoenix to take on a fully healthy Mercury squad. Atlanta could be without two starters, with Brittney Griner and Rhyne Howard listed as questionable on the injury report.

Jun 17, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Atlanta Dream center Brittney Griner (42) and guard Rhyne Howard (10) at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury and Atlanta Dream are set to face off in one of the most exciting matchups of the 2025 regular season so far. Both teams are heading into the game with identical 19-11 records and both teams playing their best basketball in years. The Dream hold the tiebreaker over the Mercury, with two decisive wins over them this season, but Phoenix has a chance to pull ahead and take the third seed back.

The Dream may have cruised to victory in their last game, but they'll be without two of their best players and Phoenix is on a three-game win streak after a rough stretch that saw them fall behind Atlanta in the standings. According to Underdog WNBA, former Mercury star Brittney Griner is questionable with a neck injury and Rhyne Howard is also listed as questionable with a knee issue.

Howard, the team's second-leading scorer at 16.5 points per game, has missed 11 games for the Dream this year, including both wins over Phoenix. Despite missing one of their most talented scorers for an extended stretch, the Dream have still moved up in the standings without her and have won seven of their last 10 games.

They're second in the league in offensive efficiency, thanks to several players stepping their game up this year, and they score the second-highest percentage of their points from three. The Dream can put points up in a hurry and will be a test for a Mercury team that has started to look like their usual selves on defense lately.

Jul 23, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Dream center Brittney Griner (42) acknowledges the fans and Phoenix Mercury before a game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Griner was pivotal in Atlanta's first win over Phoenix, during an emotional homecoming for her in the city where she began her pro career. She controlled the game down low, shooting over smaller Mercury defenders and kicking the ball out on time when double teams came. She missed the second matchup, where Atlanta absolutely dominated the game and the Mercury looked out of sorts.

Phoenix, on the other hand, is fully healthy, with zero players on the injury report, per Desert Wave Media. The Mercury will be looking to continue to build chemistry and find the right rotations with their whole roster available, this time against the team they've had the hardest time with this season. It'll be the last game this year between the two teams.

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