After taking down the defending champions in the first round, the Phoenix Mercury will have to go through the title favorites to punch a ticket to the finals. Minnesota got the best of Phoenix, securing an 82-69 win in their first semifinal matchup.
The game was close until the Lynx pulled away in the fourth quarter. Until then, the Mercury were going toe-to-toe with one of last year’s finals teams. Alyssa Thomas was big with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals. Kahleah Copper led the team in scoring with 22 points, and Sami Whitcomb contributed 11 points on 5-9 shooting from the field.
To keep up with the Lynx for the rest of the series, the Mercury will need bigger contributions from their other two stars: Satou Sabally and DeWanna Bonner. Sabally had another inefficient scoring night, and Bonner was uncharacteristically absent from the scoring column.
Sabally and Bonner struggled against the Lynx
The Mercury have had a harrowing playoff outing so far. They played three games in the first round, travelling back and forth between Phoenix and New York due to the new playoff format. After winning that round on Friday night, they immediately had to travel to Minnesota and play again on Sunday. So, fatigue may have caused some of Sabally’s and Bonner’s struggles.
Sabally finished the game with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals—a respectable stat line. However, those points didn’t come easily. Sabally went 3-11 from the field, including 0-5 from three, but sank all four of her free-throw attempts.
Bonner grabbed nine big rebounds and dished out two assists in 25 minutes, but didn’t score any points. She missed all four of her shot attempts and finished with a game-worst plus/minus of -17. Bonner has been a big factor off the bench ever since she joined the Mercury earlier in the season. Without any scoring from her, Sami Whitcomb single-handedly carried the Mercury’s bench scoring. To her credit, Whitcomb was able to match the Lynx’s bench scoring from Shepard, Hiedeman, and Kliundikova.
Whatever the reason, the Mercury will need stronger performances from Sabally and Bonner to beat the Lynx. Bonner is one of the most proven veterans in the league, and there is little doubt about Sabally’s scoring potential. If anyone can bounce back from lacklustre performances, it is those two.
The Mercury have a chance to even out the series
Minnesota hasn’t lost a playoff game yet this season. The Mercury could change that in Game 2, but will need everyone to be at their best to beat the Lynx on their home floor. Minnesota only lost two games at home during the regular season, excluding the Commissioner’s Cup final when the Indiana Fever got the better of them.