On Sunday evening, the Phoenix Mercury eradicated the No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx with an 86-81 win in Sport 4 of the WNBA semifinals to make it again to the WNBA Finals for the primary time since 2021.
Minnesota was with out star Napheesa Collier (left foot harm) and coach Cheryl Reeve, who was suspended for one sport.
“It took everyone. Everyone on this staff,” Mercury ahead Alyssa Thomas mentioned throughout her postgame interview on the ESPN broadcast. “We’re hungry. We’re prepared for this second and I am simply tremendous pleased with how we fought right now.”
Alyssa Thomas flirted with a triple-double as she completed the evening with 23 factors, 10 assists and eight rebounds. Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper put up 21 and 13 factors, respectively. DeWanna Bonner gave them 13 factors off the bench and hit some key pictures within the fourth quarter.
Bonner was drafted by the Mercury fifth general within the 2009 draft and performed in Phoenix for 10 seasons, the place she was a key a part of the 2009 and 2014 championship groups, the WNBA’s Sixth Lady of the 12 months in 2009, 2010 and 2011, and a three-time All-Star. She went to the Connecticut Solar in free company in 2020 and the Indiana Fever in free company final offseason, however her time in Indiana did not go easily and she or he was waived by the Fever in early June. The Mercury took benefit and signed her, and whereas her offense has been spotty at instances — significantly on this sequence — she got here up massive when it mattered essentially the most
“I am certain that there was folks questioning why I used to be taking part in (Bonner) at instances this sequence. We went and bought her because of this. I instructed her after the sport, the primary three video games weren’t a sufficiently big second for her. She wanted the fourth to step up. And I imply, she hit some massive threes. Her expertise, that is why you go get a participant like that,” Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts mentioned.
“I am simply house,” Bonner mentioned. “It feels good.”
Despite the fact that the Lynx have been shorthanded on the court docket and on the sidelines, they have been nonetheless a troublesome out.
Minnesota’s effort was led by Kayla McBride, who set a brand new playoff career-high with 31 factors. She scored simply 11 factors within the first half however began to take over after the break with 14 factors within the subsequent 10 minutes. Her momentum helped her staff outscore the Mercury 30-17 within the third and register their highest-scoring quarter of the sequence. In the meantime, Phoenix ahead Satou Sabally scored 18 factors within the first half however was held to only three factors within the third quarter.
However this sequence has been all about runs and stealing the momentum, which the Mercury did within the fourth quarter by turning up the depth on either side of the court docket. Sami Whitcomb made it a one-point sport with a 3-pointer with 4:46 remaining, getting followers at PHX Area on their toes. A minute later, a 3-pointer by Bonner gave Phoenix a 72-70 lead. At that time, Minnesota solely had one discipline aim within the fourth quarter.
McBride tried to cease the bleeding with a 3-pointer of her personal with 1:37 left, however Bonner responded with one other shot from past the arc. The Lynx tried to make a closing push, however they weren’t capable of finding the lead once more.
“It was a battle for 3 quarters. I give Minnesota a ton of credit score. That group, that staff, they bought some actually good gamers. What McBride did was tremendous spectacular,” Tibbetts mentioned. “I imply, for our group, we might have mentioned, ‘We’re simply going to go to Sport 5 in Minnesota and determine it out.’ It was ugly at instances for us, however we stored combating, and that is what we do. We’re a gritty group. We have been down 13 or 14 to start out the fourth, and we simply stored taking part in. And once you do this, particularly with this group, good issues occur.”
“It is us versus everyone all season lengthy,” Sabally instructed ESPN. “Champions win these video games, and we did that.”
Up subsequent, Phoenix will face the winner of the Las Vegas Aces vs. Indiana Fever sequence within the Finals, that are set to start out on Friday, Oct. 3. The Mercury are chasing their fourth WNBA title, which might tie them with the Lynx, Storm and Comets for many all-time.
