The Phoenix Mercury and the Portland Fire faced off at the Moda Center in Portland on September 17, 2026, marking their return to WNBA action following the FIBA World Cup break. Both teams have been eliminated from postseason contention, with the Mercury holding a 14-26 record and the Fire at 16-24.
Portland entered the game significantly undermanned, missing their top three scorers. Leading scorer Carla Leite was resting after her World Cup appearance for France, while Bridget Carleton was sidelined with a left ankle injury, and Megan DiLeo was out due to a dislocated right finger. Additionally, Sania Feagin, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Luisa Geiselsoder, and Teja Oblak remained unavailable. (zonaintegritas.news)
Despite these absences, the Fire aimed to snap a three-game home losing streak. The Mercury, on the other hand, sought to build on their momentum from a decisive 101-69 victory over the Toronto Tempo before the break. (docsports.com)
In their previous encounters this season, the teams split the series 1-1. The Mercury secured a 78-72 win on June 5, while the Fire edged out an 88-85 victory on August 16. (basketball.realgm.com)
The game was broadcast live on FOX12+ and AZFamily, with tipoff at 10:00 PM ET. Fans could also stream the matchup via WNBA League Pass. (foxsports910.iheart.com)
As both teams played out their remaining regular-season games, this matchup provided an opportunity for players to showcase their talents and for teams to evaluate their rosters ahead of the offseason.