What happened: The Phoenix Mercury entered the fourth quarter of Friday's matchup against the Portland Fire in a closely contested battle at the Moda Center. Despite playing without injured starters Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper, Phoenix remained competitive through the first three periods of play.

Why it matters: The matchup is critical for a Mercury squad (4-8) looking to gain ground in the Western Conference standings while navigating a depleted roster. Portland, currently sitting at .500 in its inaugural season, sought to leverage its home-court advantage to stifle the short-handed visitors in the final frame.

What to watch: Phoenix visits the Golden State Valkyries on Tuesday. Portland travels to face the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday.