Mercury’s Plum sidelined with calf tightness in loss to Mystics
Kelsey Plum exits early in fourth quarter, limiting her to 14 minutes in the 95-75 defeat against Washington.
Phoenix Mercury guard Kelsey Plum exited Sunday’s 95-75 defeat against the Washington Mystics early in the fourth quarter due to left calf tightness. The injury occurred during her fourth game since being acquired at the trade deadline and her fourth game back from a lower left leg injury sustained on June 21.
Plum, who had been gradually increasing her playing time since returning on August 3, logged only 14 minutes in the match. She finished with five points on 2-of-7 shooting, three rebounds, and two assists. The loss drops Phoenix to a 12-22 record, extending their losing streak to three consecutive games.
The guard was collided with in the second quarter and stayed down on the court. She left under her own power and returned with 2:36 left in the first half, but did not play in the second half before exiting again early in the fourth quarter. This marks a step back in her progression, following minutes of 21, 26, and 28 in her previous three appearances since returning from the June 21 injury.
Plum was acquired by Phoenix in a trade involving a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and guard Monique Akoa Makani. She is under contract through the remainder of the 2026 season and is eligible for free agency thereafter. The veteran guard is set to turn 32 years old soon.
The Mercury are scheduled to play Plum’s former team, the Los Angeles Sparks, on Tuesday. It remains unclear if Plum will be ruled out for the upcoming match or if the team is exercising caution regarding her recovery.
