Tina Charles likely to return for Phoenix Mercury against Atlanta Dream on Friday night
The Phoenix Mercury finally got back into the win column on Sunday against the Los Angeles Sparks, a result of the growing pains the team endured in the first month of the season.
Now that the Mercury have something to show for the improvements they have made in the last few games, the team hopes the extended rest and overall lighter energy at practice will help in Friday’s home game against the Atlanta Dream.
“I think it’s not just the win, but I think we’ve been playing in a way that we’ve really shared the ball," Mercury head coach Vanessa Nygaard said. "We’ve played more team-oriented basketball and we’re making real progress. We’re focusing day-to-day on improving and our players are pros so they come to work every day.
"We just try to get a little better and the energy has been good. I know that it will continue to be because we have players that really want to help our team improve.”
The Mercury received some relief on Wednesday when center Tina Charles returned to practice after missing the last two games with a right shoulder injury. Without Charles, the Mercury had to resort to a different style of play that didn’t rely too much on the post. In Charles’ last game, she led with 25 points.
“She’s obviously a huge weapon for us and a great player, so we’re excited to have her back into our rotation,” Nygaard said.
With the losing streak in the rearview mirror, the Mercury are hopeful to fare better in the month of June. However, injuries remain a concern, with wing Sophie Cunningham to miss an extended period.
Cunningham exited during the fourth quarter against the Sparks and was diagnosed with an elbow ligament sprain, the team announced on Wednesday. She is expected to miss the next few weeks.
Losing Cunningham is a blow to the bench depth, as Cunningham averaged 7.4 points per game and stepped up at wing during Charles’ two-game absence. Center Megan Gustafson saw more playing time in that stretch as well and will likely be involved more.
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Friday’s game will mark a chance to get back at one of the teams that had the upper hand against the Mercury during the seven-game losing streak. In the previous meeting on May 29, the Dream (7-5) defeated the Mercury by 27 points, the largest margin of defeat by Atlanta since 2015.
Rhyne Howard, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s WNBA draft, leads the Dream with 15.8 points per game. Howard was named the league’s Rookie of the Month for her quick transition into the professional level.
Off the bench, Monique Billings is Atlanta'stop rebounder with 7.4 per game. Billings grabbed nine rebounds in the Dream’s loss to Seattle on Tuesday.
The Dream acquired guard Asia (AD) Durr from New York in a trade Wednesday. Former Mercury forward Megan Walker was sent from Atlanta to New York in the trade, along with the rights to the Dream’s 2021 second round draft pick, Raquel Carrera.
Friday's game at Footprint Center will be followed by a four-game road trip that begins with back-to-back games against the Washington Mystics.
Reach the reporter at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com or 602-647-4122. Follow her on Twitter @jennarortiz.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mercury center Tina Charles likely to return against Atlanta Dream
