The Mercury didn’t start the finals with the best performances. Instead of stealing an important game in Las Vegas, they are going back to Phoenix down 2-0. In Game 1, Dana Evans and Jewell Loyd made life difficult for the Mercury with big games off the Aces’ bench. The Mercury also struggled against the Aces’ zone defense. In Game 2, Jackie Young and A’ja Wilson combined for 60 points, and Alyssa Thomas found herself in foul trouble.
Nate Tibbetts’s team hasn’t looked quite as impressive as it did in the first two series yet. Nevertheless, he still believes in the Mercury’s ability to turn things around.
“What gives me confidence is, we’ve been down before,” Tibbetts said after Game 2. “We’ve been overlooked…but we’ve always bounced back.”
Phoenix wasn’t one of the favorites to make the finals
When the playoffs first started, a Lynx-Aces finals seemed almost inevitable. Minnesota had been the top team in the league in the regular season and was hungry for revenge. Las Vegas finished the regular season with a scorching hot win streak. Meanwhile, Phoenix entered the postseason as an underdog. ESPN’s playoff predictions prove that more than anything.
The Mercury had home-court advantage in the first round, but only one out of nine ESPN analysts picked them to beat the Liberty. They upset the defending champions and moved on to face the Lynx. Minnesota was the heavy favorite to win that series, getting all seven votes in ESPN’s semifinals predictions.
The Mercury handily beat last year’s champions and one of the favorites to win the title this year. After losing Game 1 against the Liberty in overtime at home, the Mercury went to New York, took Game 2, and closed the series out at home. They also lost Game 1 in Minnesota in the semifinals. In Game 2, they battled back from a 20-point deficit to force overtime and win the game 89-83. After that, the Mercury didn’t slow down, beating the Lynx in four games.
Now, they are once again the underdogs, even though the disparity isn’t quite as obvious as in the previous two series. Three of five analysts picked Las Vegas to win the championship in ESPN’s finals predictions, and two gave Phoenix the nod.
Phoenix has to win Game 3
After two straight losses, Game 3 is a must-win game. It is on the Mercury’s home court and in front of friendly fans. If the Aces steal that game, the Mercury will find themselves in an incredibly difficult position. They would have to win four straight games, including two in Las Vegas, while the Aces have incredible momentum.