Lexi

Held

After head coach Nate Tibbetts was tight lipped about Akoa Makani’s status during his pregame press conference, the rookie guard will play for the Mercury on Tuesday night against the Sparks. Akoa Makani’s left knee has been a recurring injury this season. With the playoffs coming soon, expect Sami Whitcomb and Lexi Held to get meaningful minutes so that Akoa Makani’s load doesn’t make her pre-existing knee pain even worse.

Akoa Makani is back on the injury report after missing the Mercury’s August 17 game in Seattle against the Storm but then returned to the floor two days later against the Valkyries. When head coach Nate Tibbets was asked about this lingering injury during shoot around on Tuesday morning, he called it day-to-day. “It’s something we’ve been dealing with all year,” he said. “There’s days when it gives her some issues and then there’s days when it’s good.” Akoa Makani was spotted going through her regular pregame warmups but Tibbetts wouldn’t elaborate on if her status has changed during his pregame presser. If Akoa Makani doesn’t take the floor on Tuesday night, expect Sami Whitcomb to take her place in the starting lineup. Lexi Held will also earn more meaningful minutes coming off the bench if Akoa Makani doesn’t play.

With Monique Akoa Makani out dealing with a left knee injury, Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts turns to the next guard on the depth chart Sami Whitcomb to replace Makani in the starting lineup. Sunday’s game will be Whitcomb’s 19th start of the season for the Mercury. Expect Forward DeWanna Bonner to get more run off the bench in addition to some meaningful minutes for guards Lexie Held and Kitija Laksa who have gotten less opportunities in the most recent weeks.

During the Mercury’s pre-game press conference on Sunday, head coach Nate Tibbetts told reporters that Makani was dealing with a left knee injury and would be out against the Storm. In the Mercury’s last game against the Aces on Friday, Makani played in 32 minutes, scored eight points, had four rebounds and six assists. Without Makani, the Mercury will be more reliant upon bench guard Sami Whitcomb. Expect more minutes from Lexi Held and Kitija Laksa, two guards that have had reduced roles in the past few weeks.

Wednesday’s game was the first for Held since June 19, when she suffered a partially collapsed lung during a win over the Liberty. Unsurprisingly, her minutes were held in check, with the guard playing 12 minutes and recording a modest stat line. Even with Monique Akoa Makani in the league’s concussion protocol, Held is unlikely to get the opportunities required to impact fantasy basketball.

Whitcomb put on a show for the PHX Arena crowd on Monday, as she set a new career-high in points to help the Mercury avenge their recent loss to the Wings. The veteran three-point specialist was impressive from the start, tallying four threes and 19 points in the first quarter to match the Wings’ total production in the opening frame. She’d go on to score 29 in the first half before adding seven more points the rest of the way. Whitcomb will likely return to Phoenix’s bench once Satou Sabally (ankle), Kahleah Copper (hamstring), and Lexi Held (chest) make their way back to the lineup. Regardless, the veteran continues to have a strong season and is proving capable of big performances on any given day.

Held did not travel with the Mercury to Chicago after injuring her rib in the middle of third quarter on Thursday night in New York against the Liberty. Held got injured fighting for the ball on the ground with Liberty forward Breanna Stewart. Held’s production will be supplemented by having Kahleah Copper back in the startling lineup along with more minutes from shooters in Kitija Laksa, Sami Whitcomb and Monique Akoa Makani.

Held added to her list of impressive rookie-year performances on Wednesday by finishing as one of Phoenix’s top scorers in the victory. With veteran guard Sami Whitcomb (knee) unavailable, Held logged 20 minutes and made the most of her opportunities, connecting on both of her three-point attempts while shooting an efficient 83.3 percent from the field. Given Alyssa Thomas’ ability to attack downhill and find open shooters on the perimeter, Held continues to be an ideal fit for this Phoenix offense and figures to have a spot in the rotation so long as she keeps making her threes. After Wednesday’s outing, she’s now logged five double-digit scoring performances in June.

Whitcomb had started the first 11 games of the season for the Mercury before Kahleah Copper’s season debut on Sunday moved her to the reserve unit. In that game, Whitcomb shined, scoring a season-high 18 points and cashing in on four three-point attempts in the process. The veteran guard is enjoying a nice start to her ninth WNBA campaign, but will be in street clothes Wednesday. Rookies Kitija Laksa and Lexi Held could be in line for more minutes in Whitcomb’s absence.

Having averaged 5.7 points per game in her first seven appearances, Held has kicked up the production for the Mercury. While she wasn’t as accurate on Saturday as she was in her prior two outings (14-of-29 from the field against Minnesota and Golden State), the rookie guard hit double figures for the third straight game. And with Held finishing a blocked shot shy of a complete stat line, this was a good night for the few who have her rostered in ESPN leagues (10.1 percent rostered). While Monique Akoa Makani (six points, two rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes) has been the starter, her minutes have decreased due to Held’s superior production. That will be something to watch when the Mercury host Dallas on June 11.