The Phoenix Mercury shut down the New York Liberty 89-81 at Barclays Center Thursday night, and the team has Alyssa Thomas to thank. Thomas, who has been thriving with the Mercury, clocked 18 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists, a monster feat for a player who is just beginning to reach her avatar state.
Thomas' effort was aided by rookie Monique Akoa Makani, who added on a season-high 21 points.
The win brings the Mercury's winning streak to four games and is the Liberty's first loss at home this season.
What went wrong for the Liberty
New York began the game without Leonie Fiebich, who is playing in EuroBasket, and lost Jonquel Jones to injury in the second quarter. Despite a big night from Breanna Stewart, who hit a season-high 35 points, the Liberty just couldn't pull it together enough to defeat a very strong and mostly healthy Mercury.
The loss of Jones, who had only just returned after missing several games due to rolling the same ankle she reinjured last night, appeared to throw the entire team off for the rest of the night. Without Jones and Fiebich on the floor, the Liberty was forced to grind it out and play the gritty type of basketball they're known for — they might have lost the match, but they made Thomas and the rest of the Mercury work for the win.
What went right for the Mercury
Well... Thomas worked. One of the more exciting things about this WNBA season is that there is no clear frontrunner for MVP at this point. Napheesa Collier has justifiably gained a lot of attention for her near superhuman performances so far, but there are a lot of players who are giving her a run for her money, and Thomas is absolutely one of them.
The odds were stacked against the Mercury heading into the game, as the win came off back-to-back road games, Kahleah Copper, who only just returned after recovering from knee surgery earlier this year, sat the game out and Satou Sabally did not deliver the type of performance the Mercury needed from her. But Coach Nate Tibbets clearly knows what he's doing, and his positionless style of basketball is working for the team.
The Mercury have also been winning big with a roster full of players who are unfamiliar to many fans of the WNBA. Case and point: Makani might not be a household name — yet — but she and teammates Kathyrn Westbeld and Lexie Held are taking every opportunity to stand out this season.
The game isn't the only dominant performance Thomas has put in this season. She sent Mercury fans into a frenzy with her team debut on May 17 when she and Satou Sabally combined for 47 points. Thomas had 20 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in 30 minutes of play, a proper introduction for Phoenix and the team's fans.