Storm vs Mercury Prediction, Preview, Injuries, Lineups, Odds & Where to Watch – WNBA 2025 Regular Season (May 23)

The Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury are set to clash horn this Friday night. Both of the squads are in winning momentum, but the Storm seeks revenge for the humiliation that they faced on their home turf on May 17, 2025. It was a loss by a margin of 22 points, and they need to give a close competition to the Phoenix Mercury, considering the quality lineup they have as the starting five. This season, both teams are missing one of their key veteran players from the squad.

However, new additions to the rosters have stepped up and are even playing game-winning knocks most of the time this season. After this, the momentum for the upcoming games will start gaining, so it's important that both teams don't let this game slip away. If the playoff positions come down to one or two games, such losses will cost teams dearly. Therefore, it will be a basketball battle for the Western Conference domination.

Storm vs Mercury Match Preview

The Seattle Storm will host the Phoenix Mercury on Friday, May 23, 2025, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7:00 PM ET according to the US timeline. The last matchup that Storm and Mercury played against each other was on May 17, where Mercury dominated the game from the start. There was not even a single moment in any of the fourth quarters where Storm appeared strong.

The major backlash for the Storm roster that night was the bench strength. Moreover, Nneka Ogwumike faced heavy defense from the Mercury defenders and could not play her natural game. This time, the Seattle Storm starting lineup has to score more than 10 points and 3 rebounds per player to secure a deciding victory. Otherwise, the Mercury team can turn the game at any time.

Satou Sabally is looking confident this year with her points tally skyrocketing compared to her last season's points average. Meanwhile, Kalani Brown is the underdog performer for the Phoenix Mercury. If Storm somehow finds the combination to stop her spree in between the quarters, it might be a winning affair for them. Here are the details of the venue along with the date and time of the May 23 showdown between Storm and Mercury.

Seattle enters the game with a 50% winning record in the last two games. While Phoenix have won both of their last two games in the league. Both teams are looking to gain momentum and improve their playoff prospects.

Storm vs Mercury Injury Report

Injuries at the start of the season often dishearten the teams since some of the key players are the spearhead of the whole year's plan. For example, the Storm have experienced a big loss this season in the form of Katie Samuelson. Now they have only one presence on the starting lineup as a true veteran. Similarly, such last-time blunders affect the other team as well. Here is a list of players from both the squads who are injured and probable to play on May 23.

Storm Injury Report

• Katie Lou Samuelson (Out): Samuelson suffered a torn ACL during practice on May 1 and will miss the entire 2025 season. Her absence removes a key perimeter threat and veteran presence from the Storm's lineup.

Mercury Injury Report

• Monique Akoa Makani (GTD): It is a Game Time Decision for Akoa-Makani, who is facing knee troubles as reported by Matt Cohen of Winsidr.com. Moreover, she was probably to play in the Friday game, but the final status is not out yet.

• Natasha Mack (Out): Mack is dealing with a lower back injury and is projected to be out for 2-3 weeks. Her absence impacts the Mercury's frontcourt depth and defensive presence. The announcement for her delayed return came out on May 18.

• Kahleah Copper (Out): The star player for the Mercury, Kahleah Copper, underwent a successful left knee arthroscopy. Therefore, her timetable for return is approximately four to six weeks. Considering the expected return, she might make it to the court again by June 15.

Predicted Lineups

After consideration of the injury-prone players and the available roster for the upcoming matchup, the Storm and Mercury might come up with the following starting lineups to tackle each other on the court.

Storm Predicted Lineup

The Seattle Storm's predicted lineup in the context of the starting five might look like the following in the upcoming game:

Mercury Predicted Lineup

The Phoenix Mercury's predicted lineup in the context of the starting five might look like the following in the upcoming game:

Mercury's backcourt seems robust, but they need to back up their frontcourt to make sure that athletes like Satou do not get exhausted in an attempt to grab the rebounds.

Storm vs Mercury Players to Watch

Considering the previous matchup between Storm and Mercury, along with their recent performances, we have picked up the top performers who would trouble the opponents again in Seattle, Washington. It will be a battle of forwards in the Friday matchup since Nneka Ogwumike of the Seattle Storm and Satou Sabally of the Phoenix Mercury are continuously scoring above 20 points and grabbing rebounds.

No matter if it is a win or a loss for them, these two are rising to the occasion. Here's a detailed report on how these two can prove to be a threat to each other in the May 23 showdown.

Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm)

Nneka Ogwumike also renewed her one-year contract with the Seattle Storm on February 1, 2025. The amount that she is getting might not be more than the 2024 season's ($204,500) salary, but it is still $195,000 as per Spotrac. As a 34-year-old veteran in the game, Ogwumike is leading from the front and can even win the game with just her own performance, but she needs the full strength of the starting lineup to compete with the likes of Mercury.

This season, she has averaged 17.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. Last season, it was a 16.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game tally that degraded the offered amount for her contract. Yet she is again on the court to prove herself and will cause trouble on the defensive end for the Phoenix Mercury.

Satou Sabally (Phoenix Mercury)

Satou Sabally has just joined the Mercury squad this offseason on February 2, 2025, when the Dallas Wings traded her. Before that, the Wings had already designated her as the core player for the Mercury squad. Therefore, she was eligible for a supermax contract and inked a one-year $215,000 contract. Well, she is performing every dime of Mercury front office investment.

Last season, she recorded 17.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. After her entry into the Mercury, her game has completely changed the team. She is averaging 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2 assists per game in just two games. What's surprising is that she is not even playing for more than 30 minutes on the court, yet her stats tally is impeccable.

Where to Watch Storm vs Mercury

For the fans who want to witness the Friday night battle between the Phoenix Mercury and the Seattle Storm on May 23, we have curated the details about the broadcasting and the streaming platforms where they can watch the match. It is not just limited to the US audience and viewership. But we have also named the probable UK platforms along with feasible options for the global audience to watch the match.

The ION platform users who watch it on broadcast or through streaming can watch the game on DirecTV Stream, FuboTV, and Sling TV. Moreover, fans who love to watch basketball action without any restrictions can watch it through the WNBA League Pass. It has a 7-day free trial feature, and after that, it will charge a subscription fee. For international viewers or those facing regional restrictions, using a VPN service can provide access to these streaming platforms.

Disclaimer: We do not promote the use of unauthorized streaming services. Streaming quality and availability depend on the service provider and may vary.

Storm vs Mercury Prediction: Who Will Win?

The previous matchup between the Seattle Storm and the Phoenix Mercury was a scoring-dominated showdown that took place at the PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. Satou Sabally had unleashed herself on the court, tallying 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist. Meanwhile, Alyssa Thomas kept the ball in motion with her 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. However, what really turned the game around for the Mercury that night was the bench strength performance.

In total, the bench players of the Phoenix Mercury added 17 points and 16 rebounds to the overall score of the team. On the other hand, the Storm is too focused on Nneka Ogwumike's caliber. Their second string could only add 20 points and grab 8 rebounds, and that's where they lacked. Mercury players kept on scoring and won the game by a whopping 22 points.

The scorecard at the end of the game was 59(Storm)-81(Mercury). However, the starting string of the Storm is too strong to tackle for the Mercury roster. They are a beast on the court and almost play more than 32 minutes per player. If the starting lineup of Seattle displays their strength on the home turf, they will get a redemption arc on the Friday night for their matchup against the Phoenix Mercury.

Prediction:

According to our prediction, the matchup will end with the following scorecard:

Seattle Storm 85- 78 Phoenix Mercury

Storm wins by 7 points.

Storm vs Mercury Betting Odds

As of May 23, 2025, the betting odds for the Storm vs Mercury game are as follows:

• Point Spread: Storm -4.5

• Over/Under: 163.5

• Moneyline: Storm -180, Mercury +150

Last time, when the Phoenix Mercury faced the Seattle Storm on their home turf, they clinched the victory. This time, the ball is in Storm's court since they are coming off a victory. Nneka Ogwumike also seems to be in good form, while defensively, Mercury lacks the strength. Sabally has been ruining the dreams of many defenders with her offensive approach. But this will only make her a target for the future. Maybe Storm will exploit that weakness. However, keep a tab on the regular changes, as the odds shift can turn the chances of winning for a squad.