Mercury’s Taurasi out for rest of season with quad injury

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi will miss the remainder of the season with a quadriceps strain.

Taurasi missed the last two games with the injury and the team announced Monday that the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer will not be available as the Mercury fight for a 10th straight playoff appearance.

A five-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time WNBA champion, Taurasi averaged 16.7 points and 3.9 assists this season, her 17th in the WNBA. Phoenix signed Yvonne Turner to a hardship contract to fill Taurasi’s roster spot.

Phoenix has played all season without center Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia since Feb. 17 after police at a Moscow airport said they found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison last week, but U.S. officials are hoping to bring her home in a prisoner swap.

The Mercury are one of six teams fighting for the final three WNBA playoff spots heading into the final week of the season.

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