Brittney Griner injury update: Is the 8x NBA All-Star playing vs the Lynx (May 31, 2024)

The Phoenix Mercury will continue to hold out Brittney Griner when they take on the Minnesota Lynx on Friday at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Griner has not seen action for the Mercury this season after fracturing a toe in the Mercury's 85-59 preseason loss to the Seattle Storm. She played in the first half for 15 minutes and had a five-point, four-rebound and three-assist night.

WNBA fans were quite surprised by Phoenix’s 3-1 start despite the eight-time All-Star playing the role of a cheerleader on the sidelines. Since then, they’re on a three-game losing slump, a reason why Mercury supporters are again waiting for an update about Griner’s injury.

Multiple reports came out saying that Brittney Griner could return before May ends. However, in Phoenix’s final game of the month, she's still on the injury report, getting ruled out for the same reason.

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When will Brittney Griner return?

The hoped-for return at the end of May for Brittney Griner, as it turned out, was too early.

She's likely not yet ready and the Phoenix Mercury will not rush her to play until she gets the clearance to suit up. Despite the team’s struggles over the past three games, she will be shelved until the right time comes.

Griner was reportedly re-evaluated, and the training staff might not have liked what they saw. She remains out until the team announces otherwise.

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Phoenix is feeling Griner’s absence

In the Phoenix Mercury’s three-game losing slump, they were outrebounded by 115-102 during that stretch. The difference doesn’t seem that much, but the reality is quite different.

Two of those games were blowout losses; a 107-92 defeat to Dallas and an embarrassing 70-47 beatdown in Connecticut. On several occasions, the Mercury could not close out defensive stands by securing the rebound.

Britney Griner, in the middle of the paint, would have been a big help in that category. Just her size and activity in the paint would have been assets the team could have made use of.

The most glaring part of Phoenix’s woes is its defense, which is ranked second-worst in the WNBA in defensive rating (103.8). Only Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever (112.6) is worse than them in that category. Again, it is an area that Griner would have had an impact on.

Brittney Griner is a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate who could have given the Mercury a boost. The eight-time WNBA All-Star's blocks have declined over the past few years, but she still has solid skills and instincts on that end.

Phoenix is relying mostly on six-foot-three forward Natasha Mack to haul down rebounds and anchor the defense. The six-foot-nine Griner is bigger, more experienced and is a better player than her when it comes to those two things. It has become quite clear that Phoenix misses her presence. Mercury fans will have to wait until she's ready to return to help the team.

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