Bria

Hartley

Hartley, who did not play in Saturday’s loss to the Lynx, has been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in her right knee and will miss the rest of the season. She appeared in 38 games this season, making 32 starts, averaging 8.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.4 three-pointers in 22.8 minutes. Lindsay Allen started against Minnesota on Saturday and played 22 minutes, but rookie Saniya Rivers replaced her to begin the third quarter. With an eye toward the franchise’s future, Rivers and fellow rookie Leïla Lacan should play plenty in Connecticut’s remaining games.

Hartley, a fixture in the Sun starting lineup since late June, will miss Saturday’s game with a right knee injury. Saniya Rivers could move into the starting five, meaning the ball would be in the hands of Leïla Lacan more as Connecticut’s primary playmaker. Another possibility would be for Lindsay Allen to play more minutes, but Rivers and Lacan are the safest plays for fantasy managers seeking a streamer.

The Sun secured a third straight win on Saturday, thanks in large part to the role Hartley played. The veteran guard made the most of limited scoring opportunities, going a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc while missing just one of her nine shot attempts for the game. As a result, she tied a team-high in points and nearly secured a season-high. Saturday marked the first time Hartley achieved double-digit points since August 7. She’ll have a chance to reach double figures again on Monday against the Liberty.

Hartley and Sky wing Rebecca Allen got tangled up underneath the Sun basket during the second quarter. While no punches were thrown, the officials declared the altercation a fight and ejected both players. Also ejected was Sky guard Ariel Atkins, who made contact with an official in an attempt to get to Hartley before the players were separated. Hartley finished with two rebounds and two assists in 10 minutes, shooting 0-of-3 from the field.

After being questionable for Thursday’s game due to an illness, Hartley has been upgraded to available and will make her 23rd start for the Sun. The veteran guard has consistently appeared in Connecticut’s starting lineup and is averaging 9.5 points, along with reliable three-point shooting, in her 10th WNBA season. She figures to play a key role for the Sun in their matchup with the Sparks, as they attempt to avoid a third-straight loss.

Hartley scored seven points and had four assists in 21 minutes against the Mercury on Tuesday. She also started that game too alongside two other guards Marina Mabrey and Leïla Lacan. If Hartley misses Thursday’s game, expect for Saniya Rivers to rejoin the startling lineup especially when the Sun are going to need an excellent defender to guard Kelsey Plum. If Hartley is out, Jacy Sheldon’s load should also increase. Sheldon also could spend some time guarding Plum as well.

After a lopsided win on Sunday, the Sun were on the wrong end of a blowout on Monday against the Storm. The loss came on the second night of a back-to-back in which Hartley led all Sun players in minutes and points. She finished with at least 15 points for the third straight game after the All-Star Break and appears to be taking on more of a scoring role of late. Her streak will have a chance to extend on Friday against New York

All eight of Hartley’s shot attempts came from beyond the arc, and the four makes resulted in a solid haul for fantasy managers who have her rostered in ESPN leagues. (ESPN awards a point for each made three-pointer.) Hartley did not offer much value outside the three-pointers, which makes her a challenging player to rely on in standard fantasy leagues. Backup Jacy Sheldon (13/3/2/2/1 with three-pointers in 19 minutes) offers decent deep-league upside despite coming off the bench, and she may play more as the Sun’s season approaches its conclusion.

After she picked up her second technical foul in the middle of the third quarter, Hartley was ejected. She picked up her first technical back in the first quarter with 4:15 remaining. Before she left the game, Hartley scored the ball efficiently, she created her own three-pointers off the dribble while handling the ball. Both technicals came as Hartley argued with officials over the lack of foul calls that were being called on her behalf. Sun guard Jacy Sheldon replaced Hartley on the floor once she was ejected. As a result, forward Haley Peters logged minutes in the third quarter to give the Sun more shooting on the floor.

Mabrey has been out of the Sun lineup since injuring her left knee during a June 20 game against the Wings. Since then, the already-struggling Sun have gone 1-8, so getting Mabrey back on the court will be critical. Bria Hartley has filled the resulting void in the starting lineup, but the veteran point guard does not bring similar scoring punch.