The Sky are facing a new hurdle in their push for the playoffs.
On Tuesday, coach Teresa Weatherspoon told reporters that shooting guard Diamond DeShields won’t be available for the game Wednesday against the Mystics after suffering a sprained right ankle Sunday. That will leave the Sky with nine available players.
‘‘Gotta get the job done,’’ Weatherspoon said. ‘‘That’s it. I don’t see it any other way. Nobody’s going to feel sorry for us. We’re not going to feel sorry for ourselves.’’
At this point, it would be understandable if the Sky did, considering the health issues they’ve dealt with all season. Center Elizabeth Williams suffered a a season-ending knee injury in June. Then guard Chennedy Carter missed four games because of illness after the Olympic break.
Most recently, rookie forward Angel Reese suffered a fractured left wrist Friday against the Sparks, sidelining her for the rest of the season. She had surgery Tuesday to repair the injury. Weatherspoon spoke with Reese before the surgery and said she was in ‘‘high spirits.’’
Reese shared on her TikTok that she will be able to return to full basketball activities in six weeks. DeShields’ timetable is unknown at this point, but Weatherspoon was optimistic, given that it’s only a sprain.
DeShields spent practice Tuesday in street clothes with a boot on her right foot, navigating through Sachs Recreation Center using a mobility scooter.
The Sky are eligible to add a player without waiving another via the WNBA’s roster hardship rule. The rule states that if one player (Williams, in the Sky’s case) is injured, already has missed at least two games and is determined to be out for eight more and a second player (Reese) already has missed at least one game and is determined to miss three more, the team becomes eligible to sign a player.
DeShields’ injury also qualifies the Sky for the WNBA’s emergency hardship exception, which can be used — with league approval — if a team drops to fewer than 10 available players. This technically means the Sky could add two players.
‘‘We are exploring all of our options,’’ general manager Jeff Pagliocca said.
The issue for Pagliocca at this stage of the season is that there are very few WNBA-ready players for him to choose from. Many fringe WNBA players already have begun their overseas seasons.
The Sky also have a very specific need. Their roster is deep at the guard and forward positions. What they are lacking — and have needed all season — is another scoring threat on the wing.
The Sky’s games Wednesday against the Mystics and next Tuesday against the Dream come with significant playoff implications. With only five games left in the regular season, they are two games ahead of the Mystics and one ahead of the Dream for the last available spot in the postseason. If the season were to end today, the Sky would play the Liberty in a best-of-three first-round series.
‘‘Most people counted us out from the very beginning,’’ Weatherspoon said. ‘‘Of course, they really are counting us out now because of all the injuries. We haven’t.
‘‘Is it tough? You’re going against teams fighting to get into the playoffs, as well. You’re fighting against teams that are trying to level themselves up, as well. So it’s tough.
‘‘If you’re about a challenge — and this team is about a challenge — you just go meet it.”