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After a thrilling slate of games last night opened the 2019 season, today’s three-game lineup promises to provide a lot of the same excitement.
The Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm have technically already played each other in 2019, facing off in a preseason battle that the Mercury narrowly won. But now that the games count, expect the intensity to rival that of their 2018 semifinal series — which, of course, Seattle won.
Although Seattle’s injuries to Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird have been dominating headlines, Phoenix will still be down Diana Taurasi, Camille Little and Sancho Lyttle on Saturday. The Storm will also be missing Alysha Clark, who is resting after recently completing a title-winning season in France.
Saturday’s other games are regional battles between teams with different ways they’d like to impress.
With the Washington Mystics and Connecticut Sun, the Elena Delle Donne-less Mystics (she’s taking this first game to rest) will try to pick up where they left off in 2018: as title contenders. Meanwhile, the Sun are beginning their 2019 campaign a much younger team than last season but look to start strong once more.
Finally, the Chicago Sky and Minnesota Lynx played three good games last season, with the Sky grabbing the 2-1 series edge. But without Maya Moore at the helm, the Lynx will still be adjusting to life without their anchor. The Sky, meanwhile, would love a win — they went winless in the preseason and need to show that their individual stars can work as a cohesive unit sooner rather than later.
Here’s how to watch today’s games:
Game information
Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle Storm
When: Saturday, May 25, at 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Angel of the Winds Arena, Everett, WA
How to watch: ABC
Featured attraction: This matchup is an attraction in itself! But the Brittney Griner-DeWanna Bonner scoring tandem is something to keep an eye on as it enters its second season in earnest. Without Taurasi at the helm of the offense, can the two keep the Mercury afloat?
Washington Mystics vs. Connecticut Sun
When: Saturday, May 25, at 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
How to watch: Twitter (worldwide live stream), WNBA League Pass
Featured attraction: Look for Washington’s lesser-used but still solid players — like Emma Meesseman, who returns after taking 2018 off — to get some extra playing time to start the season. The Mystics open 2019 without Elena Delle Donne, who’s nursing an injury to the same knee she hurt at the end of last season.
Chicago Sky vs. Minnesota Lynx
When: Saturday, May 25, at 8 p.m. ET
Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
How to watch: CBS Sports Network, FOX Sports North (Minnesota-area TV)
Featured attraction: Two of the league’s most anticipated rookies will be making their debuts today against one another: UConn alums Katie Lou Samuelson (Sky) and Napheesa Collier (Lynx). If the Sky can put together a complete game, they could take advantage of a Lynx team already battling some injuries, with Seimone Augustus out and Karima Christmas-Kelly questionable to play.