Phoenix Mercury shatter WNBA history on Tuesday night originally appeared on The Sporting News
The Phoenix Mercury made WNBA history Tuesday night, erasing a massive halftime deficit to beat the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx 89-83 in overtime and even their semifinal series at 1-1.
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Lynx cough up historic lead
Minnesota had been unbeatable in this situation. The Lynx were 15-0 in playoff games when leading by double digits at halftime and 61-0 all-time when holding a 16-point or greater halftime lead. Both streaks collapsed inside Target Center, as Phoenix stormed back from 20 points down to hand Minnesota its first loss of that kind.
The comeback matched the largest road rally in league playoff history, tying Chicago’s 2014 surge against Atlanta.
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“This stuff was never going to be easy,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said after watching her team unravel.
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Whitcomb delivers the dagger
The Mercury trailed 48-32 at the half and looked lifeless. But coach Nate Tibbetts lit a fire in the locker room, and Phoenix clawed its way back in the second half.
The defining moment came with 4.3 seconds left in regulation. After an Alyssa Thomas offensive rebound and extra passes from Kahleah Copper and Satou Sabally, Sami Whitcomb buried a three to tie the game at 79 and force overtime.
“I was joking after, it takes 20,000 practice shots for one like that,” Whitcomb said. “But that’s why you put in the work, for moments like these.”
Phoenix rides momentum in OT
Once the game hit overtime, Phoenix never looked back. Sabally powered the offense with 24 points and nine rebounds, while Thomas nearly posted a triple-double with 19 points, 13 assists, and eight boards. Whitcomb added 13 off the bench, with the biggest shot of the night.
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The Lynx, who finished the regular season 34-10 and owned the league’s best home record, faltered under pressure. Napheesa Collier led Minnesota with 24 points, but turnovers and missed chances down the stretch doomed them.
“Unforced errors, not taking care of the ball, that was the difference,” Collier admitted. “We beat ourselves.”
Series shifts to Phoenix
With the best-of-five tied at one game apiece, the series now heads west. Games 3 and 4 will be played in Phoenix on Friday and Sunday, where the Mercury will have a chance to ride their momentum in front of a raucous home crowd.
For Minnesota, it’s a bitter reminder that no lead is safe in the postseason.
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