The Mercury need this star to step up against the Aces in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The WNBA Finals are not going according to plan for the Phoenix Mercury. The momentum generated by the Mercury’s surprise run to the championship series has been stymied by the red-hot Las Vegas Aces, who held serve at Michelob ULTRA Arena and won the first two games in this best-of-seven finals — the first in WNBA history.
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The Aces are a team imbued with championship DNA and a generational talent in four-time MVP A’ja Wilson. Despite a slow start — the Aces were 14-14 in August — Las Vegas has reached the finals for the third time in four years, hoping to add another title after successive victories in 2022 and 2023.
MORE: Jackie Young catches fire as Aces crush Mercury to take 2-0 Finals lead
Phoenix meanwhile turned over practically its entire roster following the retirement of Diana Taurasi and the free agent departure of Brittney Griner. It may seem strange to say that the Mercury were season-long underdogs after adding All-Stars Kahleah Copper, Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas since the start of the 2024 season, but Phoenix found itself in an unusual position: building a new team — and winning — on the fly.
But here the Mercury are, in the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2021, trying to win their first championship since 2014. If Phoenix is to come back in this series, it will need more from everyone — including Sabally, who heated up at the end of Game 2, albeit in an eventual 91-78 loss.
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In Game 1 on Friday night, the Mercury were nursing a six-point lead in the fourth quarter when Sabally picked up a technical foul that produced bewildered reactions from veterans Thomas and Bonner. Though Sabally ended the game with 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting, she battled foul trouble and scored only three points in the fourth as the Aces rallied to win, 89-86.
In Game 2 on Sunday afternoon, Sabally shot 1-of-8 in the first half, and the Mercury offense was stuck in the mud. Phoenix scored only 10 points in the second quarter and entered the fourth quarter down 15 points — Sabally proceeded to score 10 in the final frame, but it was too little, too late.
Nicknamed “the Unicorn” for her unique skillset in a 6’4” frame, Sabally maintaining her focus will be absolutely vital for the Mercury — who desperately need a win Wednesday night back home at Mortgage Matchup Center. When Sabally is locked in, the Mercury tend to win; Phoenix has a 20-7 record this season when the three-time All-Star shoots at least 30 percent from 3-point range. And she doesn’t believe the first two games of this series are representative of the character in the Mercury locker room.
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“The positive thing is that we have so many games still to play,” Sabally told the media Sunday. “We lost two, we’re returning home. I still believe in us.”
