Now this is a funky matchup. The Phoenix Mercury, who have the oldest roster in the WNBA, are staring down the barrel of a lost season. They’ll hit the road to face the Washington Mystics, the youngest team in the WNBA, who are inching closer to securing their playoff spot. That sure makes this showdown interesting.
The Mystics enter as 1.5-point home favorites with -122 Moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Mercury are +102 underdogs, with the game total set at 167.5 points.
Let’s dive into a preview, prediction, and pick for this Mercury-Mystics matchup.
Mercury vs. Mystics Prediction, Preview
Somehow, this will be the first time these two teams have played during this 2026 season. Both squads have three matchups left on the docket, and that makes a big difference as far as the Phoenix Mercury are concerned.
The Mercury have a new star in town: Kelsey Plum. The former Spark is here to give Phoenix’s offense a much-needed jolt, and Plum has done just that with 21.3 points per game in only 25 minutes a night. As she ramps up in her recovery from a leg injury, Plum’s chemistry with Phoenix co-stars Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper. The hope for Phoenix is that their new star trio can build up that chemistry before Plum’s free agency, re-sign her, and go for it one last time. Wins and losses aren’t exactly important for this year.
Washington continues to roll, extending their winning streak to six games on Friday. Their defense has been simply incredible, which is quite the feat for such a young team. A lot of the credit goes to their frontcourt, beginning with Shakira Austin and Kiki Iriafen. The physicality and rebounding from those two have made Washington far and away the best rebounding team in the league. Being able to consistently control the possession battle has made Washington’s team playoff viable despite their offensive shortcomings.
For me, my focus is on the Mercury’s star trio against this Mystics defense. Thomas’ post-ups will be crucial, and if she can put some moves on Iriafen and Austin, that gives Phoenix a distinct advantage. They’re also going to need the shotmaking from Kahleah Copper, who can stick one in the eye of the toughest defenders. And of course there’s Kelsey Plum and her elite drives; the matchup between her and Sonia Citron on that end will be a sight to behold.
DeWanna Bonner is an X-factor here. A living legend, Bonner’s rebounding and secondary scoring could tilt this matchup in a major way. It wouldn’t be the first time that the veteran snuck up and stole a game away while Phoenix’s opponents were focused on AT and Kah. This young Mystics team will have to keep an eye on her.
Now that we know these teams a bit better, who is going to pull out the win, and how should we bet on this game?
Mercury vs. Mystics Pick, Best Bet
Plain and simple, the Mystics are the better team, even with Plum in the lineup for Phoenix. They have a cohesive defensive identity that lets them dictate the pace of a game. Washington’s defenders are tailor-made to contain Phoenix’s stars, and that’s going to be the difference here. Like any Mystics game, it’s not always going to be pretty, but it will be effective. And the winning streak will endure.
