The Phoenix Mercury came out of the All-Star break rejuvenated.

The Chicago Sky are hoping to do the same when they visit the Mercury on Thursday night.

Both teams had a disappointing first half of the season that featured a coaching change and left them with an uphill battle to reach the playoffs.

Phoenix (5-15) got its first victory of the second half against a team with a winning record when it defeated the visiting Connecticut Sun 72-66 on Tuesday night.

“No one has lost so much like we did in the first half, so I think we all needed a breather,” said forward Sophie Cunningham, who led the Mercury with 17 points in the win.

All-Star center Brittney Griner scored just 12 points, but patiently passed out of double teams and finished with a team-high five assists.

“She’s able to read where the double team is coming from, what windows are open, what players are diving or rotating, so we gave her the freedom to make those reads and she did a great job,” Phoenix interim coach Nikki Blue said.

The Mercury are three games behind the Sky (8-12) for the eighth and final playoff spot. Chicago has a one-game lead over the ninth-place Los Angeles Sparks.

“This season for us has been (up and down),” Sky guard Dana Evans told the Chicago Sun-Times. “Being able to sit down, relax and just take your mind off basketball for a while was pretty good.”

Chicago, which hasn’t played since an 84-72 home loss to the Sun on July 12, has seen Emre Vatansever take over as interim coach/general manager and guard Rebekah Gardner and forward Isabelle Harrison suffer injuries that could be season-ending.

“My priority is making them better every day,” Vatansever said. “I’m focused on progress. … Somehow we need to win a game and make the playoffs. I’m not only talking about flowers and (positive) things. We have to win a game, but also we need to enjoy and see the progress.”

–Field Level Media

Las Vegas Aces guard Riquna Williams has been barred from the team after she was arrested Tuesday on felony domestic violence charges, the WNBA franchise announced Wednesday.

Williams, 33, was charged with three felony counts of strangulation, one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon and one felony count of coercion. She also is charged with four misdemeanor counts of domestic battery.

Justice of the Peace Rebecca Saxe on Wednesday allowed Williams to be released on her own recognizance and mandated her to undergo alcohol monitoring and mental health counseling. Williams, who cannot have contact with her alleged victim, has a court appearance set for Aug. 2.

Saxe said Williams was charged after police said incidents “occurred over an extended period of time.” The alleged victim was not identified.

“The Las Vegas Aces were made aware of domestic violence charges against a member of our team, Riquna Williams,” the team said in statement Wednesday. “As an organization, we condemn domestic violence of any kind. At this time, Riquna Williams will be precluded from participating in team activities. Our thoughts are with the parties involved in this situation. We are currently gathering more information, and as such we will not have any further comments at this time.”

The WNBA stated that it was aware of the alleged incident and is gathering more information.

A statement from the Las Vegas Aces. pic.twitter.com/JGx4mPpuNU

— Las Vegas Aces (@LVAces) July 26, 2023

Williams has not played this season because of a lower back injury.

A second-round pick (17th overall) by the Tulsa Shock in the 2012 draft out of Miami, Williams has averaged 10.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 turnovers in 253 games (90 starts) over 10 seasons with the Shock (2012-15), Los Angeles Sparks (2017-20) and Aces (2021-present).

While with the Sparks in 2019, the WNBA suspended her for 10 games after a domestic violence incident in her native Florida involving a then-ex-girlfriend. Williams was arrested on felony charges, which were dismissed in 2020.

Saxe and Ryan Bashor, her public defender on Wednesday, said Williams had no criminal convictions.

Williams made the league’s 2012 All-Rookie team, was the 2013 Sixth Woman of the Year with the Shock, a 2015 All-Star and a member of the 2022 champion Aces.

–Field Level Media