The Washington Mystics Elena Delle Donne is listed as questionable for Sunday's Game 3 of the WNBA Finals, as is fellow starter Ariel Atkins.
"We're listing them both as questionable and preparing as if neither one of them will play," Mystics coach Mike Thibault said. "Elena has made some progress, but she isn't here, nor is Ariel; they are with our therapists and doctors right now. I'm not counting on them playing. I know Curt [Miller] thinks I'm making this stuff up, but I wish I was. Our team is prepared to play tomorrow without them playing."
Delle Donne, the league MVP, who has a herniated disk in her back, was limited to just over three minutes of playing time before leaving Game 2, which the Connecticut Sun won 99-87 on Tuesday in Washington, D.C.
Delle Donne, 30, had an MRI on Wednesday and has been receiving treatment since then. She had averaged 21.4 points and 7.6 rebounds in the first five games of the playoffs before the back injury forced her out early on Tuesday, when she was scoreless.
"I can't say anything more than what she already has; she has a herniated disk that's pinching on a nerve," Thibault said. "She's made some progress, but she's not at the point, as of today, to play basketball. She could get up tomorrow, test it out, and see where she is, but the reality is, I don't know anything more than that. She hasn't done anything athletic all week."
The Mystics have outscored the Sun by 12 points with Delle Donne on the court in the WNBA Finals and have been outscored by 15 when she's off the court.
Atkins, who is dealing with back spasms, is averaging 7.3 points and 3.0 assists in the playoffs. She's also one of the Mystics' top perimeter defenders. She had 21 points and five rebounds in the WNBA Finals opener, a 95-86 Mystics victory. But she played just 18 minutes in Game 2, scoring five points.
Thibault said Atkins was injured Thursday. She "bent over, and stood up, and couldn't stand up."