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Phoenix Mercury star and WNBA legend Diana Taurasi was one of her team's key players to try to beat Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever tonight. Indiana won the first matchup between the two sides 88-82, which included a 15-point comeback by the Fever.
Unfortunately for her fans, Diana Taurasi remains sidelined with a left lower leg injury. She was ruled out for this game yesterday, meaning she'll have to wait until August 16 to face Clark and company again.
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The Phoenix Mercury is trying to improve their record after surpassing the .500 mark. They currently rank fourth in the Western Conference standings behind the Minnesota Lynx, Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm.
Taurasi is one of the leaders and stars of the team and her absence can play a key role in this game. Taurasi recorded 19 points, three rebounds and three assists in the first duel against the Fever, shooting 5-for-14 from the field.
How many games has Diana Taurasi missed this month?
This game will mark the fourth game Taurasi has missed since the start of July. She missed one game against the Connecticut Sun on July 1 due to back soreness. Two days later, she made her return to the court, playing 30 minutes against the Dallas Wings. On July 7, she missed the duel against the LA Sparks and then against the Wings on Wednesday.
Can Diana Taurasi miss the upcoming Paris Olympics?
This is a hard question to answer, as there's nothing official regarding Diana Taurasi's injury. The 20-year veteran is aiming to play in her sixth Olympic Games in the upcoming Paris edition. As of now, there's no timetable for Taurasi's return to the court and the Suns already signed Celeste Taylor to fill her spot while she's inactive.
If Diana Taurasi doesn't get healthy, Caitlin Clark could replace her on Team USA's roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics (per the New York Post). This remains an 'if' as Team USA's first game is a couple of weeks away. Taurasi has paid her respect to Caitlin Clark, which could open the door for the Indiana Fever to go to France.
"It's amazing. What Caitlin's been able to do in her short career so far has been nothing short of remarkable," Taurasi said after their first duel.
Clark is getting better by the day and her name would bring a lot of attention to the Olympic team if she finally makes it.
