Phoenix Mercury's 24 assists, six starters in double figures define 6-point win over New York Liberty
The Phoenix Mercury emerged with a 6-point win over the defending WNBA runner-ups thanks to hot 3-point shooting and a collective effort led by Bec Allen's five threes.
PHOENIX – The Phoenix Mercury played the hottest team in the WNBA entering Tuesday, the New York Liberty.
New York, which advanced to the 2023 WNBA Finals, had won eight straight including four on the road. Phoenix, meanwhile, was winners of three of four games since center Brittney Griner returned from a left toe fracture.
The winner would gain key confidence against a top opponent from the opposing conference. That team was the Mercury.
The Mercury have now won four of their last five games since Griner’s return thanks to their 99-93 win over the Liberty on Tuesday night at Footprint Center.
“It was a hell of a game,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. “If you’re a fan of basketball, that was some high-level stuff.”
The Mercury and Liberty combined for 33 3-pointers, which was the most in a WNBA game since the league’s first year (1997). Phoenix also had six players in double figures, led by Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi with 19 points each.
The Mercury’s 24 assists marked the fourth straight outing they have done so. That is a franchise record.
“That balance that we got tonight, that’s going to be a strength of ours moving forward,” said Tibbetts. “We have to be OK with each other succeeding. It doesn’t have to be one person going to this, the other person going to that. We can do it together. I think they believe in that.”
Bec Allen, who signed with the Mercury in free agency, had a season-high 17 points that led the way for the Mercury. She made five 3-pointers in the game.
“We were all waiting for it,” said Sophie Cunningham, who had 13 points. “It’s awesome to see it, and you’re actually excited for your teammates when you see them going off. And it’s not a selfish-type thing…
“It’s nights like this that make it so fun.”
The Mercury trailed by seven points entering the fourth quarter against the Liberty, who Tibbetts said are one of the most difficult cross-match up teams in the WNBA.
The Liberty, who are led by Breanna Stewart, have a stretch five, Jonquel Jones, who makes matchups difficult, Tibbetts said. The Liberty also have arguably the best shooter in the world, Sabrina Ionescu, who started the games making 3-of-6 3-pointers.
“You just need to make it tough,” said Tibbetts.
The Mercury did. Phoenix started the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run to tie the game at 76. Sug Sutton, who is the backup to point guard Natasha Cloud, had a key steal that led to a Bec Allen 3-pointer for the tie.
“I think (Sutton) is really the one who turned this game around with her defense,” said Cunningham.
Once the Mercury tied the game, they led by no more than four points up until the final minute. A 3-pointer from Sutton gave them an 83-80 advantage, giving Cloud more rest.
Once Cloud entered the game with 5:57 left, she made a 3-pointer that gave Phoenix an 86-82 lead. Cunningham hit a long 2-pointer following a three from Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton to give Phoenix an 88-85 lead with 4:25 to go.
After a 2-point shot from Cloud that pushed Phoenix to a 90-87 lead, Breanna Stewart scored two free throws. Griner made a layup that regave the Mercury a 92-89 lead with 3:03 left.
Stewart then stole the ball off a bad pass from Kahleah Copper and finished a layup to cut the lead to one. Copper then turned the basketball over but the Mercury won a challenge that was key to their victory.
Phoenix then got a clutch 3-pointer from Taurasi to give it a 95-91 lead with 1:33 left. Griner, who was named the Western Conference Player of the Week Tuesday, sealed the game with an offensive rebound and put-back finish to give Phoenix a 97-93 lead with 29.1 seconds left.
Phoenix is looking to keep up its recent momentum. The Mercury have now beaten the top two teams in the West, the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm, and defending two-time WNBA champions, the Las Vegas Aces.
“I’m not just saying this, I think when you have six people in double figures and high double figures, who’s beating that?” Cunningham said.
“That’s a championship type of statline right there. They had some too, but we just beat them tonight. When Bec’s going off, when Kah’s going off, BG, Dee… that’s a championship squad right there.”
The Mercury will move on to play the Minnesota Lynx on the road on Saturday.