Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury Preview, Prediction, Injuries, Lineups, Odds & Where to Watch – WNBA 2025 Regular Season (May 21)

The WNBA 2025 regular season is picking up the pace as the Los Angeles Sparks and the Phoenix Mercury will face each other for an offensive battle on May 21. It is a game of bigwigs with prominent players of the WNBA on both sides. Looking at the previous record, the Mercury have only won one of their last five games while the Los Angeles Sparks have won three of their five. The last time Sparks and Mercury met on the court was last season, and Phoenix clinched the game.

However, this time, the Mercury squad is short of firepower due to injuries and the departure of players from the team. Yet the All-Star talent on both ends, with players like Kelsey Plum and Alyssa Thomas, is promised to be an intense affair with a focus on giving it throughout the four quarters. If the game slips at any moment, the Sparks won't leave that chance to grab the win. In a battle of fierce competition, we have prepared a preview for this fiery matchup on May 21, 2025, between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Phoenix Mercury.

Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury Match Preview

The Los Angeles Sparks seem to be on a championship run this season, with the level of performance they are displaying with their starting five. Even the bench strength of the LA roster doesn't need much work due to the sheer athleticism of players like Kelsey Plum. The Mercury squad can take the home advantage, but they have no chance against the thriving Sparks.

The only opportunity for them to give their best on the scoring end and keep the Sparks at bay with airtight defense. For the US audience, the game will kick off at 7:00 PM PT. Meanwhile, UK viewers can watch the game through a VPN or available channels at 3:00 AM BST on May 22, 2025. Keeping that in mind, here are all the details about the Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury matchup in tabular form:

Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury Injury Report

Injuries do not pose a good message for an in-form team since they derail the momentum that teams get at the start of the season. Therefore, it is mandatory that players get proper rest and a recovery period to survive till the end of the season. Moreover, after that, the prominent ones should be able to contribute to the postseason campaign. That's how rotation is managed. Yet some players can succumb to injuries due to various factors, and today we will analyze such players who might not get a chance to play in the Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury on May 21.

Los Angeles Sparks Injury Report

• Julie Allemand (out): Julie is out of the squad due to her knee trouble and is expected to make a return by the May 21 game. However, if the problem persists, the Los Angeles Sparks will go with a new combination for the team.
• Rae Burrell(out): Rae Burrell just played for one minute on the court while going against the Golden State Valkyries. Due to undisclosed reasons, her expected return in the Sparks uniform is expected to be on June 29.
• Cameron Brink (out): A dynamic forward for the Los Angeles Sparks, Cameron Brink is suffering from knee troubles. She is expected to return to game action sometime in June, as per reports from Harrison Faigen of SBNation.com.

Phoenix Mercury Injury Report

• Kitija Laksa (out): The 28-year-old guard from Latvia was a menace on the court while playing for the University of South Florida. That's why even the Seattle Storm picked her up from the first round. However, she has not played a single WNBA game and is out for now from the Mercury team.
• Natasha Mack (out): Natasha Mack was doing great for the Mercury this season. However, the team staff announced on Saturday that Mack will be sidelined 2-3 weeks with a lower back injury. That means she won't be available until the start of June.
• Kahleah Copper (out): Another bad news for the Mercury campaign, Kahleah Copper had a breakout season for the team last season and tallied more than 20 points, along with more than 4 rebounds and 2 assists per game. The front office updated that Kahleah underwent a successful left knee arthroscopy and her timetable for return is approximately four to six weeks, the Mercury announced Saturday, as per ESPN data.
• Murjanatu Musa (out): Stevens is still recovering from a foot injury that has kept her out since the start of the season. Without her interior presence, the Sparks may struggle to contain Phoenix's post players.

Predicted Lineups

Considering the injury reports of the players from both teams, the Phoenix Mercury seems to be on the back foot since they are missing Natasha Mack and Cameron Brink in the upcoming game. Both of these players make up the core of their squad. On the other hand, the Los Angeles Sparks still seem strong due to the presence of all five starters on their roster. We have compiled the starting five for the Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury that is scheduled to be played on May 21 as part of the WNBA regular season.

Los Angeles Sparks Predicted Lineup

For the Los Angeles Sparks, Kelsey Plum is expected to take the Point Guard position, Odyssey Sims(Shooting Guard), Rickea Jackson(Small Forward), Dearica Hamby(Power Forward), and the Center position for star Azura Stevens. Here is a tabulated record of the starting lineup of Sparks:

Phoenix Mercury Predicted Lineup

For the Phoenix Mercury, Sami Whitcomb is expected to take the Point Guard position, Monique Akoa Makani(Shooting Guard), Satou Sabally(Small Forward), Alyssa Thomas(Power Forward), and the Center position for Kathryn Westbeld. Considering the versatility of the players, we have compiled the following starting five for the Mercury team:

Los Angeles Sparks Vs Phoenix Mercury Players To Watch

The Phoenix Mercury must heavily guard the offensive powerhouses of the Los Angeles Sparks, otherwise the points streak might go beyond their control on May 21. It is a Wednesday night game in the United States where an on-paper strong team will face off with the on-court strong roster. Both of the teams are different from what they used to be last season, with additions during the 2025 off-season. With a new barrage of players on their end, both teams need to look out for the following players in the upcoming game.

Los Angeles Sparks Players To Watch

Kelsey Plum: Kelsey Plum inked a 1 year, $202,000 contract with the Los Angeles Sparks on February 2, 2025. She was traded from the Las Vegas Aces in a three-team trade. In the last game that she played with the Golden State Valkyries, she dished out 37 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals. The star guard has won two WNBA championships in the past while playing for the Las Vegas Aces. As soon as she moved to the Los Angeles Sparks, she made an immediate impact.

The 2022 WNBA All-Star MVP is on board for a lucrative one-year contract with the Sparks. It means that the Los Angeles Sparks are all set for a championship season, and they are all set for it. Therefore, it is necessary that Kelsey Plum plays as much time as possible with the squad to help the team with its objectives.

Canada is a defensive-minded point guard with quick hands and elite court vision. Her ability to control the pace and pressure the ball on defense will be key in slowing down Phoenix's veteran backcourt. She also contributes consistent scoring and assists, often setting the tone for the Sparks.

Dearica Hamby: The 6-foot-3-inch tall forward Dearica Hamby for the Los Angeles Sparks has been active within the team for almost two years now. She has already won a championship with the Aces and will want to repeat the success again with the Sparks. In the last against the Valkyries, Dearica Hamby was the next big thing after Plum tallying 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 assist.

Former Commissioner's Cup champion and 3x WNBA All-Star Hamby kicked off her journey as a first-round pick in the year 2015. Last year, when she got the chance to prove herself, she delivered a breakout season for the Sparks. With an average playing time of 33.7 minutes in 40 games, Dearica recorded 17.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. She has been a menace for the teams in recent times, and Mercury has to stay cautious of her.

Rickea Jackson: The collegiate basketball sensation Rickea Jackson has just made her debut for the Los Angeles Sparks last season. However, her performance proves otherwise since she dished out 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in her rookie season. It proves her significance on the roster, and that's how she maintained her performance. Even in the last game, she recorded 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists as a small forward for the Sparks team.

Coming to the WNBA achievement that Rickea has made so far, she got a place in the WNBA All-Rookie Team during her first season as a Sparks player in 2024.

Phoenix Mercury Players To Watch

Alyssa Thomas: The offseason pick from the Connecticut Sun has worked wonders so far for the Phoenix Mercury team. She was a part of a big four team trade and changed her team after 10 seasons with the Sun roster. In the last game against the Valkyries, her team might not have secured a win, but she dished out 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Moreover, as a power forward, she is a decorated athlete in the league.

At 33, she has received 5x WNBA All-Star selections, WNBA rebounding(2023), and WNBA steals(2020) titles in her career. Apart from the league basketball, her international experience comes in handy during the matchups while facing surprise opponents.

Satou Sabally: The 27-year-old small forward from the Dallas Wings is doing wonders for the Mercury squad. She was also part of the big four trade that involved another addition to the team, Alyssa Thomas. Eventually, Satou signed a $215,000 contract for one year with the Mercury. Considering the one-year lucrative contracts that veterans are getting in the league, there are chances that the squads want to test the potential of these legends once again. If the experiment works in their favor, they might go for a playoff or even more than that, moving ahead.

However, Satou Sabally is doing well since she recorded 17.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5 assists in her last season with the Wings. Moreover, she continued the same dominant performance against Valkyries, recording 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists.

Natasha Mack: A second-round player from the 2021 draft class, Natasha Mack joined the Phoenix Mercury in 2023. The 6'4" forward had a significant impact last season defensively with an average of about 5 rebounds in 15.5 minutes of average playing time. Over the time, Mack's game has improved.

She only got 17 minutes on the court during the fixture against the Golden State Valkyries, yet Natasha Mack dumped 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist. If the lucky stride continues for Mack in the upcoming seasons as well, it might be a chance for a breakout season for her to establish her identity and get a permanent spot in the league.

Where to Watch Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury

The US audience can watch the Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury on May 21 through ESPN+ and WNBA League Pass. Apart from mobile streaming, these options are portable and paid. However, the ones who love watching from home can enjoy the games on the local channels as well, like Arizona's Family Sports, Spectrum SportsNet, for free as per WNBA data.

For fans in the UK, the game will air at 3:00 AM BST on May 22. Viewers in the United States can watch at 10:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM PT on May 21.

For the locals' information, the matchup will be available to watch on Arizona's Family Sports and Spectrum SportsNet. Along with the primary on-record channels, the Sparks-Mercury can also be watched on alternative online channels like "Streameast," "Buffstreamz," or "NBA4Free." For users who cannot watch the game through either of the means and still want to witness the game, they can use a VPN if the stream is region-restricted.

Disclaimer: We do not promote or endorse unofficial streaming websites. Use them at your own risk. Streaming quality may vary based on server load and internet speed.

Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury Prediction: Who will win?

It will be an all-out war for the Phoenix Mercury and the Los Angeles Sparks. Although considering the winning streak that the Sparks are on right now, they might clinch the May 21 fixture. It's surprising since the Mercury have the upper edge when it comes to head-to-head in the last six years, where Sparks have just won 8 affairs and Mercury won 9. But the LA squad has a chance to make the H2H record equal with 50% wins on both ends.

Another aspect that is pulling down the Phoenix Mercury despite the on-paper advantage is the injury concerns. Their last match starter, Natasha Mack and Kahleah Copper, are out of the team due to personal and back problems, respectively. But the problem is that the Mercury needs their ace players on the court if they want to beat the in-form players of the Los Angeles Sparks.

The Los Angeles Sparks, on the other hand, seem to be in good shape, while they are also missing Cameron Brink from their squad. Due to her knee injury, she might not get to the team until June. Rae Burrell and Julie are also out of the team with day-to-day observation, but Rae played for one minute in the first regular season game of Sparks.

The athleticism that the LA Sparks are flaunting on the court is monstrous. All five of their starters spent more than 30 minutes on the court, with Kelsey Plum tallying a whopping 37 points in 40 minutes of her playing time. The Phoenix roster needs to be cautious, or the Los Angeles Sparks will slip the victory under their nose with hardcore offense.

Prediction: Phoenix Mercury 80, Los Angeles Sparks 92

The Los Angeles Sparks wins by 12 points

Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury Betting Odds

For May 21, the betting odds for the game are expected to be:

• Phoenix Mercury: -6.5 favorites
• Los Angeles Sparks: +6.5 underdogs
• Over/Under: 173.5 total points

The Mercury holds the edge over the Los Angeles Sparks because, first, they have a home court advantage, and then there is the head-to-head record between the two squads that favors the Phoenix Mercury(9-8). It is advisable that bettors stay alert for any kind of last-minute updates in the team combinations or the unavailability of players due to injury.

The over/under suggests a high-scoring game that shows that it will be a nail-biting encounter going down to the last wire. Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally's strong foundation can ensure a win for the Phoenix Mercury. However, the team will need better performances from Celeste Taylor and Kalani Brown since they lacked on this end during their showdown against the Golden State Valkyries.

But be careful since the Los Angeles Sparks' recent form can turn the bet for the whole game. Even the team against which Mercury lost, the Sparks, secured their victory with a great margin. Kelsey Plum is in good shape and might hold more money for the bettors.