Mercury vs Valkyries Preview, Prediction, Injuries, Lineups, Odds & Where to Watch – WNBA 2025 (June 5)

The Valkyries and Mercury will be in action against each other on June 5, 2025. The Commissioner’s Cup game will be played at the Footprint Arena, Phoenix, Arizona. This will be their second meeting in the season, with the Valkyries recording a win in a preseason game on May 10. In the first seven games, Mercury has won five games, providing a strong start to the season. They ranked second in the Western Conference and fourth overall in the league. Playing in the West, Valkyries finished with a 2-4 record in the first six games and ranked fifth in the conference. The expansion team had their moments in the season so far, with a few missed opportunities to better their record in the first month of the 2025 WNBA season.

In this article, we will be discussing the preview, predictions, betting odds, predicted starting lineup, and everything you would need to know ahead of the Mercury vs Valkyries Commissioner’s Cup match-up.

Mercury vs Valkyries Match Preview

The Phoenix Mercury, beginning the season with multiple new faces, had a tough preseason. They lost both their preseason games, raising concerns over the team’s future. But, the team responded with back-to-back wins at home and reached a respectable 4-2 record to finish the month of May. Later, they started June with a win over the LA Sparks, behind their star forwards Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas. The expansion team, Golden State Valkyries, also had tough matchups early on, losing the opening game against the Sparks in front of a record-setting home crowd. Yet, with back-to-back wins later on kept the side kept in contention for the playoff spot early in the season. But they lost the momentum, losing the next three games against the 2024 WNBA finalists, NY Liberty and Minnesota Lynx.

With the Valkyries playing their first season in the league, there is not much history between them and the Mercury team, but the side recorded an 84-79 win against the Phoenix franchise in the preseason game. Guard Carla Leite and forward Karla Thornton shone in the game with 11 and 12 points, respectively. Alyssa Thomas and Sabally led the Mercury team with 15 points apiece in 20+ minutes of gametime.

Offensively, both sides are very strong. The Mercury side is averaging 85 points in seven games played and ranks third in the league, while the Valkyries average 75 points and sit two places behind their June 5 opponent in average points scored. Both teams are also strong three-point scorer sides, with the Valkyries netting 37.2% of their range attempts and Mercury scoring 37.1% of their three-pointers.

Yet the Mercury team holds a slight edge at the defensive end with a 93.4 defensive rating, and is only behind defending champions Liberty side. The matchup between the Mercury and Valkyries would be an interesting fixture, provided the uncertainty of the Bey Area side’s offense. Here are some of the essential details about this matchup

Mercury vs Valkyries Injury Report

Injuries to players affect game plans and team performances in the matches. With the season just starting up, teams are looking to keep their stars healthy. Yet there are some on-court injuries that have hampered the league so far. Here are some of the notable injuries recorded before the Mercury vs Valkyries Commissioner’s Cup match on June 5

Mercury Injury Report

From the start of the season, the Mercury team had missed their 2024 leading scorer, Kahleah Copper, who will not be part of the game against the Valkyries. The guard underwent left knee arthroscopy on May 18, and her return is expected at the start of July. Natasha Mack, Kalani Brown, and Alyssa Thomas are listed as day-to-day but expected to play in the game against the Valkyries on June 5.

Valkyries Injury Report

As per the current injury updates, Tyffany Hayes has once again suffered a nose injury, forcing her out of the recent game against the Lynx. She is once again listed on day-to-day but expected to be fit for the game against Mercury on June 5. It is important to note that the reigning sixth player of the season missed three games before the game against the Lynx on June 1.

Predicted Lineups

The predicted starting five that both teams are going to field for this matchup would take into account all the players listed in the injury report, as well as the ones available. As per the recent trends across games, here is how the lineups for both teams may look like,

Mercury Predicted Lineup

The predicted lineup for the Phoenix franchise in the Mercury vs Valkyries game could be as follows

Valkyries Predicted Lineup

The predicted lineup for the Golden State franchise in the Mercury vs Valkyries game could be as follows

Mercury vs Valkyries Players to Watch

The Phoenix Mercury underwent a major overhaul post-WNBA 2024 season, with their core pieces making moves in the free agency and even with Diana Taurasi announcing retirement. The Valkyries, on the other hand, have their first ever squad mostly assembled from the draft picks and expansion team selections. Here are a few key players to watch for the Mercury vs Valkyries matchup.

Satou Sabally (Mercury)

Satou Sabally has been one of the consistent and top performers for the Mercury side, since her trade from the Wings. In six games played, Sabally has averaged 20.8 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. The two-time All-Star is currently leading the side in scoring, rebounds and steals. Sabally is Mercury’s go-to player at the moment with 17 attempts from the field. With nearly 41% accuracy, she is a constant threat to the opposition. The 6-foot-4 forward has sleek moves in the paint region, allowing her to score over most of the defenders in the league. Playing against Kayla Thornton will be a challenge for the German star, but with Alyssa Thomas at the other end, the duo can dominate the paint. Defensively, she is averaging 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks so far.

Veronica Burton (Valkyries)

Playing in her third team in four seasons, Veronica Burton has found her regular starting role with the Valkyries. Selected from the Connecticut Sun by the expansion team, Burton leads the side in scoring and assists. She averages 12 points, 4.2 assists and 2 steals in the first six games. Back from winning the WNBL title with Australian side Bendigo Spirit, Verton is slowly growing as an offensive star in the WNBA. Alongside Kate Martin, Burton is the team’s top three-point shooter, which could be an important part in playing against the Mercury’s crowded defence.

Where to Watch Mercury vs Valkyries

If you are wondering where to watch the Mercury vs Valkyries matchup, we have got you covered. Here are all the details that you need to know ahead of the matchup:

Mercury vs Valkyries Prediction: Who Will Win?

It’s still early phases of the season, and both the Phoenix Mercury and Golden State Valkyries are looking to form chemistry between the newly assembled squads. Yet, the Mercury team, with experienced All-Star players, holds a slight edge over the Valkyries on the paper. Plus, the side will be playing at home, where they have won four out of five games, losing to the strong Minnesota Lynx team in the 2025 season.

The availability of Kate Martin and six competitive games of experience will provide the Valkyries with crucial ammunition in the game. The side showed great character, disrupting the passes and leading the league in steals. They also excel in scoring from the range, with multiple players over 33% shooting accuracy from and beyond the arc. The Mercury team has strong wing defense and will look to limit the Valkyries’ three-point attempts.

Both sides will have different approaches towards the game, with the home side relying more on its forwards duo of Sabally and Thomas, while Valkyries will look for production from their deep back-court lineup.

Prediction

Mercury to win by a score line of 77-69, with the side having an 80% probability of winning.

Mercury vs Valkyries Betting Odds

The following are the betting odds for the upcoming Mercury vs Valkyries matchup: