Playoff preview? Phoenix Mercury host Connecticut Sun as they try to snap struggles

The Phoenix Mercury have four games remaining to stop their slump before the WNBA playoffs begin.

And depending on how things shake out, Friday’s game (7 p.m. on ION TV) in Phoenix against the Connecticut Sun (26-10) could be a preview of the Mercury’s first-round matchup.

The Mercury (17-19) clinched a playoff berth last week after beating the Atlanta Dream and are currently the seventh seed behind the Indiana Fever (19-18). The Fever hold the tiebreaker over the Mercury after winning all three games this season and are 1.5 games ahead.

Caitlin Clark has made it hard for the Mercury to catch the Fever. Clark, the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for each of the past three weeks, averaged 25.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 10 assists last week.

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The Sun are one game behind the Lynx (27-9) for the second spot and hold the tiebreaker after going 2-0 against Minnesota. If the Sun finish second and the Mercury are still seventh, the two will meet in the postseason.

It’s been a big season for the Sun, who have won seven of their past 10 games. The Sun have won all three meetings against the Mercury by double digits, most recently a July 14 home game, 96-69.

DeWanna Bonner leads the team at 15.6 points per game, while Alyssa Thomas leads with 8.8 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game.

The Mercury are trending downward, having dropped five of the past six games, four of which were against playoff-bound teams. During that span, Phoenix is scoring 73.7 points per game while allowing 86 and has committed 16.8 turnovers per game while opponents have averaged only 11.8.

Once one of the better 3-point shooting teams, the Mercury have struggled from long range over their past six games. Phoenix is hitting only 29.1% from beyond the arc, making an average of 7.3 3-pointers per game.

“When our offense doesn’t work, our defense shuts down too,” forward Natasha Mack said. “We don’t need to let that happen. We’re a great defensive team, even if the score is forever 0-0, that’s fine with us. We just have to believe in ourselves and get back to our rhythm, our shots and playing together.”

The Mercury take their final road trip beginning in Chicago against the Chicago Sky on Sunday before visiting the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday, Sept. 17.

Phoenix wraps up the regular season by hosting Seattle next Thursday, Sept. 19.

Star rookie Angel Reese will not play against the Mercury, having suffered a season-ending wrist injury. Reese had 26 double-doubles, the second most in a season, and earlier this summer set a WNBA record with 15 consecutive double-doubles. The Sky enter Friday a game in front of the Dream for the final playoff spot.

Friday’s matchup features a reunion and ceremony for the 2014 Mercury team that won the WNBA title.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mercury to host Connecticut Sun in potential playoff preview