The Phoenix Mercury will be without forward Rebecca Allen for the 2024 WNBA playoffs after completing successful back surgery, but they will have a player return from a major injury just hours before the first round officially begins.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Rookie Charisma Osborne, the Mercury’s No. 25 overall pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, has been upgraded to being available for selection. She had previously been sidelined since June 22 because of a lower left leg strain and was in a boot for the first few weeks of the injury.
The UCLA product has played two games in her debut season in the league, averaging one point, 0.5 assists and rebounds. Osborne was waived by Phoenix after training camp, and became a free agent before she signed with the team on June 13.
With her back in the lineup, it will see how the 23-year-old will be utilized after being out for an extended period of time. Up until she was injured, Osborne was the backup point guard behind Natasha Cloud before Celeste Taylor joined ahead of the Olympic break.
For the Lynx, second-year forward Dorka Juhász is probable to play after missing the past two with a right foot injury. She played in 34 games (seven starts), tallying 4.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game this year. The Hungarian was the No. 16 pick by Minnesota in the 2023 WNBA Draft.
Game 1 of the first round playoff series between the Mercury and Lynx begins at 2 p.m. PT inside Target Center in Minneapolis.
Mercury forward Rebecca Allen underwent successful back surgery, ruled out for WNBA playoffs
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers ASU Athletics, the Phoenix Mercury and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
