The Washington Mystics went into Tuesday night as a slight road favorite against the Phoenix Mercury, and the biggest new wrinkle was Kelsey Plum being listed as available for Phoenix after not playing since early August. Washington had already clinched a playoff spot, while Phoenix were already out of contention, which gave the second of three meetings in 2026 a different feel.
There was still enough at stake to make the matchup worth watching. The Mystics had won the first meeting by 20 points, a result that helped frame them as the stronger side on paper, but Phoenix were not short of proven names and could still make things awkward if their key players clicked together.
Why Washington held the edge
Washington’s case was straightforward. They were in better form, had already secured their place in the postseason, and had shown in the opening meeting that they could control this matchup. That 20-point win mattered because it suggested the Mystics were more comfortable in the head-to-head contest, not just the standings.
For Phoenix, the concern was less about effort than consistency. The Mercury had won only five of 17 home games this season, a record that explained why home court did not automatically tilt the night in their favour. Even with multiple All-Stars on the roster, they needed a sharper collective display to trouble a team that had already taken the measure of them once.
Kelsey Plum's availability changes the picture
The main talking point was Plum's status. She had last played in early August after an injury, so her being listed as available for Phoenix added intrigue to a game that already carried roster uncertainty.
That does not mean she was guaranteed to decide the outcome on her own, but it did give Phoenix another option in a match where they needed rhythm and scoring help. Against a Washington side that had already shown it could win this matchup by a clear margin, any boost to the Mercury's rotation mattered.
In the end, the Mystics entered the night with the cleaner storyline: playoff secured, confidence from the first meeting, and a slight road favorite status to back it up. Phoenix, meanwhile, were left to test whether Plum’s return to availability could help them turn a difficult season’s final stretch into something more competitive.
