Heartbreak in Phoenix: Sabally Sidelined 8-Months with Ankle Injury in Crushing Finals Loss…
The Phoenix Mercury’s faint hopes of a miraculous WNBA Finals comeback were shattered twice over in a gut-wrenching 90-88 defeat to the Las Vegas Aces on Wednesday night, as star forward Satou Sabally was ruled out for the remainder of the series—and potentially the next eight months—with a severe left ankle injury sustained in Game 3.
With the Mercury trailing 3-0 in the best-of-five series, Sabally, the 27-year-old German phenom in her first season with Phoenix after a blockbuster trade from Dallas, was electric early. She poured in 24 points, five rebounds, and three assists, fueling a defiant rally that saw the team erase a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit. But disaster struck with 4:26 remaining. Battling for a crucial offensive rebound amid a tangle with Aces guards Jackie Young and Kierstan Bell, Sabally landed awkwardly, twisting her left ankle beneath her. She crumpled to the floor in agony, clutching her leg as medical staff rushed to her side. Teammates formed a human shield, towels draped over the scene, while the sellout crowd at Footprint Center held its breath.
Helped off the court on a stretcher, initial reports suggested a head or neck strain from the collision—Sabally’s head had clipped Bell’s knee during the fall. But post-game imaging revealed the true culprit: a full ligament tear in her left ankle, a devastating blow echoing her prior foot issues that sidelined her for much of 2023. “It’s a grade 3 sprain with ligament damage,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts confirmed somberly. “Satou’s out for the series, and rehab points to 8-10 months minimum. This one’s tough— she’s our heart.”
Despite the loss of their leading scorer (16.3 PPG this season, third All-Star nod), Phoenix mounted a heroic charge. DeWanna Bonner erupted for 25 points off the bench, including a game-tying three-pointer and free throws with 1:41 left. Kahleah Copper added 18, while Alyssa Thomas notched a near-triple-double (14 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists). The Mercury outscored Las Vegas 29-14 in the frame, forcing reigning MVP A’ja Wilson into late foul trouble.
But heartbreak prevailed. Wilson, unfazed, drained a dagger elbow jumper with 0.3 seconds left for her 34 points and 14 rebounds, her fourth straight 25-10 Finals game etching history. Jackie Young chipped in 21 points and nine assists, while Jewell Loyd’s bench spark (16 points) proved pivotal. The Aces, now one win from their third title in four years, celebrate a wire-to-wire dominance turned thriller.
For Phoenix, facing elimination in Game 4 Friday at home, the void is immense. Sabally’s absence—coupled with lingering whispers of her minor Game 2 ankle tweak—exposes a roster stretched thin. Yet, in the locker room, Bonner rallied: “We fight for Satou. This series isn’t over till it’s over.”
As confetti loomed for Vegas, Phoenix clings to defiance. But with their supernova dimmed, the Mercury’s championship dream hangs by a thread, a poignant reminder of the WNBA’s unyielding brutality
