Venue and Schedule
Venue: Mortgage Matchup Center (formerly Footprint Center), Phoenix, Arizona.
Tip-off time: 10:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. local).
Broadcast: WNBA League Pass (with possible local overlays).
This is a late-season interconference matchup with playoff implications for Atlanta and limited remaining motivation for Phoenix.
Current Rosters
Atlanta Dream key contributors (approximate season averages):
Allisha Gray (~19.5 PPG), Rhyne Howard (strong recent scoring and 3-point production), Angel Reese (~15.9 PPG, league-leading ~11.9 RPG, elite double-double machine), Jordin Canada (high assist and steal numbers), Naz Hillmon, and supporting cast including Madina Okot and others.
Atlanta Dream
Brionna Jones (leg) – Out (no firm timetable; expected absence continues).
Phoenix Mercury key contributors:
Kahleah Copper (~20.5 PPG, team leader), Alyssa Thomas (~14.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 8.2 APG – elite playmaking forward), DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Mack (when available), Sami Whitcomb, and others. Kelsey Plum was a recent acquisition but is sidelined.
Phoenix Mercury
Kelsey Plum (calf) – Out (has missed recent games; status listed as out/questionable in some reports but expected to miss).
Jovana Nogic – Out for season (not injury-related).
Atlanta is the healthier and more complete roster. Phoenix continues to deal with the absence of Plum, limiting their backcourt creation.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Angel Reese vs. Alyssa Thomas / Natasha Mack / frontcourt: Reese’s rebounding dominance, physicality, and double-double production against Thomas’s unique playmaking and two-way impact. This battle will heavily influence second-chance points and pace.
Rhyne Howard / Allisha Gray vs. Kahleah Copper and Mercury perimeter: Scoring wings and shot creation. Howard is coming off a 26-point outburst (including multiple threes); Copper has been Phoenix’s most consistent scorer.
Jordin Canada’s pressure defense and playmaking vs. Mercury guards: Canada’s steals and tempo control can disrupt Phoenix’s offense.
Overall team styles: Atlanta’s balanced scoring, rebounding edge, and defensive activity (high steals) against Phoenix’s reliance on Copper and Thomas to generate offense.
Atlanta averages ~91.2 PPG while allowing ~85.7. Phoenix averages ~83.9 PPG and allows ~87.4. Atlanta holds clear advantages in rebounding and recent form.
Recent Team Forms
Dream: Excellent recent stretch — wins over Los Angeles (124-88 blowout on Aug. 20, franchise scoring high; Reese perfect from the field in a big double-double), Las Vegas (97-82), Connecticut (104-69), and Toronto. Only recent blemish was an OT home loss to Indiana. They are 7-3 in their last 10 and firmly in the Eastern Conference top tier, fighting for seeding and home-court advantage.
Mercury: Inconsistent and struggling — lost four of their last five, including a recent home defeat to Portland (88-85). They sit well outside the playoff picture (roughly 7+ games out of the final spot with few games left). Home record is a poor 5-11.
Series History (2026 Season)
The teams have met twice this season, with Atlanta sweeping:
May 24: Dream 82, Mercury 80 (in Atlanta).
August 5: Dream 96, Mercury 82 (in Atlanta; Howard led with 23).
Atlanta holds a 2-0 edge and has generally controlled the matchups.
Betting Trends
Atlanta has dominated recent H2H and performs well against teams with losing records.
Dream are strong on the road in this stretch and cover frequently in favorable matchups.
Phoenix struggles at home and without Plum.
Totals can vary; Atlanta’s recent high-scoring outburst vs. LA contrasts with some lower-scoring Mercury games.
Atlanta is motivated for seeding; Phoenix is playing out the string.
GAME ODDS
Atlanta Dream – 5
Phoenix Mercury 176.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, August 21, 2026
