Is Kahleah Copper playing tonight? A look at Mercury star's availability ahead of Sparks matchup

On Tuesday night (Sept. 17), Kahleah Copper and the Phoenix Mercury are set to take on the LA Sparks in their second-to-last game of the season. As they slowly prepare for the postseason, they'll have to do so without one of their top players.

Per the injury report for this matchup, Copper has already been ruled out due to a back injury. This doesn't appear to be serious, as she is expected to return later this week.

The Mercury have been without Copper's services for almost two weeks. She's missed their last two matchups, but Phoenix has managed to go 1-1 in her absence. With a five-game lead over eighth place, they don't have to worry about dropping in the standings in the final games of their schedule.

Being without Copper is a big loss for the Mercury, as the All-Star forward is in a career year. She is third in the WNBA in points per game at 21.6. Only Arike Ogunbowale (22.2) and A'ja Wilson (27.0) are ahead of her.

In Phoenix's case, these finals matchups don't mean much. They are as good as locked in for the No. 7 seed and are likely playing the Minnesota Lynx in the first round of the playoffs.

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Mercury coach asked if Olympics run was a factor in Kahleah Copper's injury

This season, Copper was tasked with putting in some extra work compared to other players. While most of the league enjoyed a monthlong break, she was among the women chosen to compete for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics.

Copper didn't play much early on, but she was a key member of the rotation by the end. She logged double-digit minutes in each of the last four games and played 20-plus minutes in the semifinals and gold medal matchup. After their gold medal run, Copper and the rest of Team USA had roughly a week to rest before the WNBA season ramped back up.

Now on the sidelines with the postseason right around the corner, Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts was asked about the Olympics workload having an impact on Copper.

"I think she's the No. 1 usage player in the league," Tibbetts answered. "Obviously the Olympics, she's had to do a lot for us offensively, so maybe it is. Again, this is her first Olympics experience. This is my first time going through the season with the Olympics."

Copper is the focal point of the Mercury's offense, and they are going to need her in the lineup if they want any chance at making noise in the playoffs.