Mohegan — Injuries, if nothing else, run semantics into a crossing pattern with clichés. They’re “part of the game.” “Everybody has them.” “They’re not an excuse.”

Whatever. Here’s what I know: They are a factor in every season. Sometimes, they are overcome. Sometimes they are devastating. But they are always, always, relevant.

And so another summer is going to end short of the playoffs for the Connecticut Sun, who, again, are overwhelmed by injuries. They’ve overcome a few this season, to Chiney Ogwumike and Allie Hightower. But what’s happened recently is absurd, if not typical, for a star-crossed franchise that clearly aggravated somebody somewhere.

The Sun fell to 12-14 Sunday night at Mohegan Sun Arena with a 102-92 loss to Atlanta. Quite a night. Connecticut has nine bodies. And faced a team whose starters combined to shoot 67 percent for the game. The Sun played hard, although not necessarily smart, in an entertaining, exasperating defeat.

They played without Ogwumike and Hightower. As has been the case all season. Then Alyssa Thomas and Elizabeth Williams, as has been the case the last few games. Now leading scorer Alex Bentley, day-to-day after an ankle malady Friday in Tulsa. And in the third period during a rally, Jennifer Lacy, who finished north of 20 points for third straight game, went to the locker room with a knee issue. She returned.

Still, the totality of it all was daunting.

“I went down there to sub,” Sun coach Anne Donovan said, alluding to her perimeter players, “and I saw one face.”

It’s hard to believe. Or maybe not at all, given that the relative success of the franchise over the years has come despite an unseemly number of injuries.

In the 2004 WNBA finals, Wendy Palmer tore her labrum in the deciding game. A loss to Seattle.

In the 2005 finals, Lindsay Whalen was barely a hint of herself with an ankle injury — a self that nearly won the league Most Valuable Player — and the Sun lost to Sacramento.

In the 2006 conference semifinals, Katie Douglas hurt her ankle and the Sun crumbled against Detroit.

There were late-season injuries to Asjha Jones. They were down to eight players at the end of Donovan’s first season. Fumes last year. Fumes now. Again: Injuries aren’t an excuse, because the word “excuse” has a negative connotation. But at some point, they become burdensome. They are burdensome now. The Sun aren’t good enough to overcome them.

“There’s no doubt it’s a factor,” Donovan said. “But it is exciting see Jen Lacy step up again and see what Kelly (Faris) can do with the added minutes. I enjoy that piece of it.”

She did not enjoy the 40-point second quarter for the Dream on Sunday, however. Atlanta made everything, including 10 of 13 from the 3-point line in the first half alone.

“The first half, I can’t even tell you,” Donovan said. “The coaches meet before we go in there (to the locker room). There was nothing to say. How do you coach defending the 3-point line? Extremely disappointing. We cut it to six (in the fourth quarter) but we expended so much energy (without even) nine full players.”

Donovan is trying to remain positive. But this is not her first rodeo. She knows that four games out of the playoffs with eight left — games and players — means the arena will be dark for the playoffs again. If you decide to judge Donovan on what happens through the end of the season, your critiques should be about effort only. Right now, the Sun are bringing toenail clippers to a gun fight.

Meanwhile, there is good news. If the Sun don’t make the playoffs, they’ll have the second-best chance (behind Seattle) in the draft lottery — bound by new rules this year to include two-year records — to land Breanna Stewart.

They’re going to be good here soon. It’s just not very easy right now. Sun fans have grown accustomed.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.

Twitter: @BCgenius