Mercury lose tight, high-scoring affair vs. Caitlin Clark-less Fever in Phoenix

With Caitlin Clark sidelined for a back injury, the Mercury were unable to out-duel the Fever in a high-octane game which Indiana won 92-89 on Thursday.

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jul 9, 2026, 10:56 PM Updated: Jul 10, 2026, 12:22 pm

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PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Mercury fell victim to a Kelsey Mitchell (29 points) last-second layup in a 92-89 loss to the Indiana Fever on Thursday night at home and without star Caitlin Clark on the floor.

The teams put two testy games in Indianapolis last month behind them, trading baskets instead of bumps and barbs.

Mitchell put Indiana (13-9) up 90-89 with her layup coming with 10.1 seconds remaining and former Mercury player Sophie Cunningham added two free throws to secure the win with Clark on the bench in street clothes.

Clark didn’t play in the back-to-back to rest a lingering back injury, costing her a chance to play against the Mercury for the first time since an altercation with Alyssa Thomas triggered a firestorm of opinions about the rising WNBA star.

Thomas and Kahleah Copper had 22 points each to lead the Mercury (8-15).

Thomas received a one-game suspension for landing fist-down on Clark’s neck during the June 24 game, leading to death threats and racial slurs on social media. That came two days after Cunningham, who played six seasons in Phoenix, had a lengthy finger-pointing episode with DeWanna Bonner.

The teams’ third meeting had no throat punches or finger pointing, only good shooting, as Aliyah Boston had 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting after being held out of a loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday.

Indiana shot 6 of 10 from 3-point range to lead by four in the first quarter. Phoenix shot 21 of 38 overall and 8 of 14 from 3 to lead 53-47 at halftime.

Phoenix quickly stretched the lead to 10 in the third quarter, but Indiana went on a 13-0 run to go up 62-59 before the teams traded runs in the fourth.