Mercury could solve woes against Fever (Jul 14, 2018)

Published Jul. 14, 2018 10:14 p.m. ET

The Phoenix Mercury were the hottest team in the league two weeks ago before losing forward Sancho Lyttle to a knee injury and embarking on a four-games-in-eight-days road trip that has produced three straight losses and some head scratching.

But the Mercury may have found what they need to get back on the winning track -- a game Sunday against the hapless Indiana Fever at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.

The Fever have just two wins in 21 games and have lost three straight, most recently a 98-74 blowout on the road to surging Atlanta on Friday.

Tiffany Mitchell came off the bench for the first time this season and matched a season high with 17 points to lead Indiana. Point guard Erica Wheeler finished with 15 points for the Fever in her first start since June 10.

Wheeler had seven first-quarter points and helped Indiana to a 22-18 lead after 10 minutes as the Fever hit 10 of 20 shots in the quarter and led by as many as 10 points. But momentum changed quickly, and the double-digit lead became a double-digit deficit.

Indiana allowed Atlanta to shoot 57 percent from the floor and had a 41-27 rebounding edge.

"We scripted some shots in that first quarter and we got off to a good start," Indiana coach Pokey Chatman said. "We played well, and we got a lead. In the second quarter, we got some of the same shots, but they didn't fall and then we started to break down defensively. That can't happen."

Sunday's game is the seventh in a stretch of 14 days for the Fever.

Phoenix hopes that it has found some momentum heading into Sunday's game, even after a 91-87 loss at Connecticut on Friday.

Diana Taurasi, in her return to the state in which she starred as a collegian, hit five 3-pointers and finished with 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists for Phoenix (14-8). Brittney Griner added 19 points and DeWanna Bonner scored 16 for the Mercury.

Phoenix's up-and-down season is exemplified by its coaching staff's clinching of duties for the 2018 WNBA All-Star Game, which will be played July 28 in Minneapolis.

Fever coach Sandy Brondello, along with assistant coaches Julie Hairgrove and Todd Troxel, will make their second appearance as a staff at All-Star Weekend (2015) by virtue of having one of the league's top two records on July 13.

"We're really excited to be going to the All-Star game this year," Brondello said after the announcement, after which Phoenix lost to Connecticut. "It means we're one of the top two teams in the league, and that's right where we want to be at this point in the season. It'll be a great opportunity for our staff to go and have some fun with some of the best players in the world."

Sunday's game is the second this season between the Fever and the Mercury. Indiana is 21-15 overall in the series, despite Phoenix winning four of the past five meetings. The Fever still hold an 11-8 series advantage in games played in Indianapolis after the Mercury's 95-77 win on June 29.