After defeating the Sabrina Ionescu-led New York Liberty in a hard-fought three-game series, the Phoenix Mercury now face the daunting task of taking on the Minnesota Lynx. “They haven’t seen us at full strength. We’re ready to play,” declared Alyssa Thomas, setting the tone for what’s ahead. The matchup is no small hurdle; led by MVP contender Napheesa Collier, the Lynx stand between Phoenix and their first Finals appearance since 2021. The issue for Mercury is, history doesn’t favor them either.

The Phoenix Mercury has managed just two wins in their last ten meetings with Minnesota. That makes health and depth critical for Phoenix heading into this series. Can they turn the tide in their favor? Only if they have a full and fit roster playing.

Minnesota Lynx vs Phoenix Mercury Injury Report

According to the Phoenix Mercury Injury Report, as highlighted by ESPN, there are NO PLAYERS listed! This means that the Mercury will have all of its 12 players ready to go to take on their rivals. Unfortunately, the same good news cannot be said about the Lynx.

It was reported only a few hours ago that DiJonai Carrington will miss the rest of the WNBA season. Carrington had left the Game 2 between the Minnesota Lynx and the Golden State Valkyries during the 4th quarter, and did not return.

Later, she was diagnosed with a mid-left foot sprain and was seen wearing a walking boot on her left foot when she attended a news conference for Co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith. In her absence, the Minnesota Lynx are expected to give Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman extended minutes.

Minnesota Lynx vs Phoenix Mercury: Where to Watch

Game 1 of the Lynx-Mercury semi-finals is scheduled for Sunday, September 21, 2025, at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Tip-off time is scheduled for 5 pm ET/2pm PT. Basketball fans can view the game on ESPN2 or live-stream it either from the official WNBA app or from Fubo. Tickets are available to buy from Vivid Seats.

Probable Starting Lineups

Minnesota Lynx:

Napheesa Collier

Bridget Carleton

Alanna Smith

Kayla McBride

Courtney Williams

Phoenix Mercury

Alyssa Thomas

Satou Sabally

Natasha Mack

Monique Akoa Makani

Kahleah Copper

Prediction: Can the Phoenix Mercury pull off a stunner?

Dimers’ Chief Content Officer, Nick Slade, stated in his report that “Using the most recent data, our experts ran 10,000 simulations of Sunday’s Mercury-Lynx game. After accounting for recent updates and other variables, our prediction shows the Lynx with a win probability of 64%, while the Mercury have 36%.” Additionally, other reports show the Mercury holding odds of +260, while the Minnesota Lynx have -325 odds.

Phoenix Mercury winning only 2 of their last 10 game against the Minnesota Lynx might be causing these odds. Additionally, one cannot forget that Minnesota was the only team to sweep in the first round. This gave them an additional few days of rest and more time to prepare. Meanwhile, Phoenix will tip Game 1 of the semifinals less than 48 hours after concluding their series against the New York Liberty.

Yahoo’ Sports’ Maggie Hendricks claims that Phoenix’s big three of Alyssa Thomas, Kahleah Copper, and Satou Sabally can “frustrate their opponents with their hard-nosed style”. However, Alanna Smith, aka the 2025 co-Defensive Player of the Year, and Napheesa Collier, aka the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, can certainly handle a physical game.

The Phoenix Mercury or the Minnesota Lynx? Who will you be rooting for? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below.