The 2014 season is among the most memorable for the Phoenix Mercury. The team faced the Sky in the Finals that year and won the championship by sweeping them 3-0. In fact, the Mercury finished the regular season 29–5 and then swept the Sky, marking their third franchise title. That history adds an extra layer of intrigue to tonight’s matchup.

With different rosters, the Mercury this Thursday will host the Windy City in a WNBA regular-season matchup. And this time, Phoenix again appears to have the greater chance of winning as they come in on a two-game streak. The team has also won four of its last five games, enough to climb to fourth place in the rankings and sit firmly in playoff position amid a crowded West—supported by analytics projecting a favorable road ahead to lock in seeding. But don’t count the Sky out just yet!

Where to watch?

Location: Footprint Center, Phoenix

Time: 10:00 PM (ET)

Where to Watch: WNBA League Pass.

Injury report

The Phoenix Mercury are one of the few teams in the W with a 100% healthy roster, but the Sky aren’t as lucky. While every other player on the team is healthy, Courtney Vandersloot is missing from the roster. She’s been out since suffering an ACL tear in her right knee during the June 7th game against the Indiana Fever.

Although she’s had successful surgery to repair the torn ACL, the five-time WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA champion is out for the season. Her absence is a “huge blow” for the Sky as the team reunited with the vet by signing her as a free agent. She was supposed to drive the young team, with the help of experience she’s got so far from her 12 seasons with Sky. But while, she’s out, Angel Reese and co. still found ways to sail through adversities.

The Sky have already been officially eliminated from playoff contention, with just nine wins this season and only a few players—Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, and rookies Hailey Van Lith and Maddy Westbeld—under contract beyond 2025. Offseason roster turnover appears imminent.

Probable line-up

Here’s the expected lineup for the upcoming game:

Chicago Sky

• Ariel Atkins
• Rachel Banham
• Michael Onyenwere
• Angel Reese
• Kamilla Cardoso

Phoenix Mercury

• Monique Akoa Makani
• Kahleah Copper
• Alyssa Thomas
• Natasha Mack
• Satou Sabally

Prediction

The Chicago Sky are one of the worst offensive teams in the league, often struggling to get past 80 points. Not just that, the Windy City squad is averaging only 75.9 points per game while allowing 86.2 points per game. Defensively, they’re among the worst as well, regularly conceding 90+ points.

But if we’ve learned anything from the Sky, it’s that they’re underdogs. Despite being among the bottom three teams throughout the season, they still play with incredible energy. The Mercury, on the other hand, are prone to cold nights, but they average 83.2 points per game. Defensively, they’re a well-oriented squad, led by Alyssa Thomas, who is running in the MVP race with serious chances to win.

Even when you consider home games, the Mercury have an edge with a 12-6 record, compared to the Sky’s 4-13 away record. So, clearly, the Mercury are favorites, and that’s why even ESPN gives them a 77.1% chance to win the game. Still, the Sky are best known as underdogs…