Diana Taurasi will miss the rest of the WNBA regular season with a quad strain, the Phoenix Mercury announced Monday afternoon.
The 40-year-old guard had appeared in every Mercury game this season until last Thursday, but she missed the team’s last two games with the quad injury. She has averaged 16.7 points, 3.9 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game in 31 appearances.
Phoenix loses the former WNBA MVP and 10-time All-Star in the midst of a crowded playoff chase. The Mercury (14-19) sit in the eighth and final playoff spot with three games remaining, but six teams are in contention for the final three postseason berths.
Yvonne Turner signed a hardship contract with the Mercury to fill Taurasi’s roster spot. The 34-year-old guard played for the Mercury from 2017-19 before playing the next two seasons overseas.
In 2022, Turner has played four games with the Lynx and two games with the Dream under hardship contracts. Turner has averaged 6.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in her six appearances this season.