The Connecticut Sun have relied more on their starting five than any other team in the WNBA because it has such a young bench.

That bench suddenly received a big boost thanks to the surprising return of veteran forward Alyssa Thomas. The Sun end the regular season Sunday by hosting the Atlanta Dream at Mohegan Sun Arena (1 p.m., NESN Plus).

Thomas tore her Achilles tendon while practicing with ZVVZ USK Praha of the Czech Republic on Jan. 12. She had surgery eight days later. It can take up to a year before one feels fully recovered.

Thomas returned Wednesday night and had six points and three rebounds off the bench in 17 minutes as league-leading Connecticut (25-6) crushed the New York Liberty, 98-69, for its franchise-record 13th straight win.

“She said she’s doing well, feeling good,” Sun head coach Curt Miller said Friday. “We just got done with practice and she was a full-go, so we continue to feel good with where she’s at and where she’s trending.”

Thomas has been a starter since her 2014 rookie season and one of the Sun’s most indispensable players. She’s a power forward who can run the point in addition to being a ferocious rebounder and a three-time WNBA All-Defensive selection.

Connecticut was forced to go with a young bench this year due to the salary cap. Its top six players, veterans DeWanna Bonner, Briann January, Brionna and Jonquel Jones and Alyssa and Jasmine Thomas, take up much of the cap room.

Third-year guard Natisha Hiedeman had been the Sun’s most experienced reserve. She’s averaged 21 minutes. Second-year wing Kaila Charles has averaged 16 minutes.

The bench is rounded out by rookie wing DiJonai Carrington and posts Stephanie Jones (rookie) and Beatrice Mompremier (second year).

It just so happens that Sun bench had one of their better games on Wednesday. Carrington had a career-high 14 points and three steals along with five rebounds in 20 minutes.

Hiedeman made three 3-pointers in the first half to help kickstart Connecticut’s offense after it missed 10 of its first 12 shots and fell behind by as much as 11. She finished with 11 points.

The Sun played all 11 of their players and 10 scored.

“I just feel really, really happy for them,” Miller said. “They don’t always get extended minutes. It’s the life of a bench person. Your leash is not as long.

“DiJonai really energized us (with) her effort, her tenacity, at both ends of the floor. … Natisha had a great first half, gave us some confidence offensively hitting those threes.”

Connecticut will be the top overall seed in the playoffs. It gets a double-bye to the best-of-five semifinals and will host Game 1 on Tuesday, Sept. 28.

“Now you have AT, one of the elite players in the world, coming off the bench,” Miller said. “Excited about where our bench could be as were moving closer and closer to the playoffs.”

n.griffen@theday.com