The Phoenix Mercury were projected to be the league’s 7th-best team in ESPN’s preseason rankings.
Now, they’re just one game removed from the WNBA Finals.
On Friday night, the Mercury beat the Minnesota Lynx 84-76 to take a 2-1 series lead in the WNBA Semi-Finals. Their recently-formed Big Three — comprised of perennial MVP finalist Alyssa Thomas, former Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, and one of the league’s most versatile players in Satou Sabally — combined for 65 points on 23-43 shooting, outplaying the Lynx’s All-Star trio of Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, and Courtney Williams.
Advertisement
At this point, it’s hard to imagine there’s a better Big Three in the WNBA. It’s that veteran trio that could ultimately propel the Mercury to the franchise’s first title in over a decade.
Sabally exploded for 15 fourth-quarter points, single-handedly outscoring the Lynx in the final period. Copper recorded a ridiculously efficient 21 points on 9-13 shooting. And, Thomas posted a quintessential all-around statline: 21 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks.
That offensive production — coupled with stifling defense and physicality — has propelled the Mercury to a lead against the WNBA’s most dominant team this season.
And, while the rest of the world might be stunned, they’re not surprised.
Advertisement
“ESPN, all of them — they ranked us really low, and I think to me, it’s a disrespect towards those two,” Sabally said postgame. “They’re gold medalists, they’re All-Stars, and to put that type of disrespect towards people who’ve literally been in the league for so long… That just fuels us.”
In addition to their big three, the Mercury have benefited from big-time contributions from rookie Monique Akoa Makani, who often shoulders the team’s biggest defensive assignments, and Sami Whitcomb, the bench sharpshooter who hit the game-tying three-pointer at the end of regulation in Game 2, ultimately giving the Mercury a chance to tie up the series in overtime.
Head coach Nate Thibbets didn’t get many votes for Coach of the Year, but he’s maximized a roster that’s almost entirely new.
Advertisement
And, while the top headline from Friday’s matchup between the Mercury and the Lynx will center around Cheryl Reeve’s postgame comments and Napheeesa Collier’s injury, what the Mercury have accomplished on the court should not be overlooked.
Minnesota finished 7 games ahead of Phoenix in the standings, but for much of this series, it hasn’t looked like that.
The final minute captured it best.
With the Mercury up by 4 with 1:20 to play, Thomas and Sabally both secured offensive rebounds, running nearly a minute off the clock. Those boards perfectly captured the Mercury’s extra effort throughout this series and throughout these playoffs.
Advertisement
“That’s what separates,” Thomas said.
The Mercury still have to pull out one more win against this Lynx team before they advance. In Game 4 on Sunday, they could be facing a Minnesota team without their top player, Napheesa Collier, who exited the game late with what appeared to be an ankle injury.
If Phoenix pulls off the Semi-Finals win, they’d still have to face either the Las Vegas Aces or the Indiana Fever in a 7-game WNBA Finals (the Aces currently lead the Fever 2-1 in the WNBA’s other Semi-Finals series).
But, though the journey remaining is long, on Friday, the Mercury looked every bit a championship-caliber team.
