The Connecticut Sun could desperately use some good fortune right now given their injury woes and postseason hopes all but extinguished.

Connecticut won’t catch any breaks from its remaining schedule as almost every opponent is one of the best in the WNBA. The grind begins Thursday when the Sun play host to the defending WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury (Mohegan Sun Arena, 7 p.m., MyTV9).

The Sun (12-15) are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference and lost five in a row. They’re 3.5 games behind the fourth-place Washington Mystics, which won the season series from Connecticut to earn the head-to-head tiebreaker. The top four teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs.

Injuries have played a role in the Sun’s struggles as all-star Alex Bentley (ankle), starter Alyssa Thomas (shoulder) and reserve Elizabeth Williams (knee) have been sidelined.

Six of Connecticut’s seven remaining games are against winning teams. It plays both the league-leading New York Liberty and Chicago Sky twice. It also has a game at the Indiana Fever, which has won nine of their last 11.

Phoenix (16-11) is second in the West and has already clinched a postseason berth. It’s been led by DeWanna Bonner (16.7 ppg, 6 rpg), Brittney Griner (15 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 4.4 bpg), and Candice Dupree (14.7 ppg).