Mercury look to end road trip strong against Chicago Sky

The Mercury have been in a slump for the past few weeks, losing five out of their last six games after their loss to the Atlanta Dream on Aug. 1. Defensive struggles continue for the team, as they gave up a season-high in points against the Indiana Fever on July 3.

After their loss on Friday, head coach Nate Tibbetts compared the struggles to “breakdowns,” unsure why they keep happening.

“We’ve been a step slow ever since the All-Star break, I don’t know,” he said, according to the team’s post-game recording. “For whatever reason, we’ve had a ton of breakdowns… I still really believe in this group. We’re in a tough stretch right now. But we gotta figure it out.”

Another concern is Sabally’s performance since returning from her right ankle injury. Since her return, the All-Star has averaged 10.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists — a stark difference from her hot start at the beginning of the season.

Tibbetts took Sabally out of the game with two minutes left in the second quarter on Friday. She didn’t play in the second half.

“[Sabally] didn’t bring the energy that we needed,” said Tibbetts when asked about what led to his decision. “But, you know, it’s one game. It’s something that we’ll talk about and look at tomorrow as a team.”

The Phoenix Mercury and the Chicago Sky will face off on Sunday, Aug. 3 at 3 p.m.