Just hours before tip-off, it was officially announced that both Napheesa Collier, the runner-up for the 2024 WNBA MVP award, and Alyssa Thomas, third place for the 2023 MVP, would miss the game due to temporary injuries. Both superstars are offensive and defensive engines for their teams, so you knew it was going to be an interesting game.
For those who have not been plugged in with the Phoenix Mercury, they came into the game with an impressive 4-1 record despite rostering a completely new team. All 11 active players were not on the Phoenix team last season.