Wings will be shorthanded, missing 3 players going into game vs. Mercury

The Dallas Wings will look to snap the Phoenix Mercury’s three-game winning streak, but will be shorthanded entering the clash with three players who will be inactive.

Sparks Game Status

OUT – Jaelyn Brown (Illness)
OUT – Natasha Howard (Foot)
OUT – Satou Sabally (Shoulder)

Howard was just getting set for her 10th season in the WNBA and second with the Wings before this injury. The three-time WNBA champion has averaged 11 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 310 games (195 starts). The Ohio native was drafted by the Indiana Fever with the fifth-overall pick in 2014 and has split her career between the Fever, Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm, New York Liberty and now the Wings. In Seattle, she was the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2019.

The reigning WNBA Most Improved Player in Sabally has yet to make her 2024 season debut due to a lingering shoulder injury. She has been with Dallas for four seasons (2020-23) since being the second-overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft. The Oregon product has played 82 games (72 starts), amassing 15.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

After playing overseas for a couple of seasons, Brown will miss her third straight game as she is battling an illness. In her WNBA debut vs. the Chicago Sky, she had two assists and two rebounds.

For the Mercury, they will continue to be without superstar Brittney Griner (left foot – toe) and guard Sug Sutton (left elbow) is listed as questionable for the game. Phoenix is 3-1 this season without Griner as Natasha Mack has stepped up and started in all four games.

Phoenix takes on Dallas inside Footprint Center tonight at 7 p.m. PT.