Phoenix

Mercury

Thomas had a relatively quiet game on Sunday as the Mercury dropped their second game of the series. The do-it-all forward barely made it to double figures as a scorer, while tallying her fewest assists of the postseason and tying a postseason low in rebounds. Thomas battled foul trouble throughout much of the game, which arguably could’ve taken away from her aggressiveness. Nevertheless, the MVP finalist has not had a dominant performance through two games in the Finals matchup, and Phoenix will likely need one of her signature performances in Wednesday’s Game 3 if it wants to avoid falling behind by three games.

Despite shooting inefficiently, Sabally was one of Phoenix’s better offensive performers in Game 2. The veteran wing crossed the 20-point mark for the fourth time in the last five games with the help of a 10-point fourth quarter. Sabally also got involved on the glass, where her nine defensive boards almost led her to a double-double on the afternoon. While she looks to be more efficient in Wednesday’s Game 3, another high-scoring performance would likely benefit Phoenix as it looks to avoid falling behind three games to none.

For a second straight game, Copper came out aggressively. The former Finals MVP drained three first-quarter triples as part of a 15-point first half in which she led the Mercury in scoring. Unlike in Game 1, she mostly kept her foot on the gas in Game 2 by tallying eight more points after halftime to conclude with a team-high. Sunday marked the second straight game of at least 20 points for Copper, which came on efficient shooting both inside and outside the arc. The Aces haven’t yet proven able to limit the versatile wing’s production — she’ll have a chance to record another productive game on Wednesday.

Copper, in her first WNBA Finals appearance since capturing the Finals MVP award with the Chicago Sky back in 2021, was in championship form for the first half of Friday’s game. The veteran wing wasted no time getting acclimated, scoring 19 points in the opening couple of quarters, where she tallied five made three-pointers — the three-point barrage made up more than half of Phoenix’s eight threes through the opening half. Yet, Copper cooled off after halftime and scored only two points the rest of the way on 1-of-4 shooting. She still finished with a team-high in points on the evening and has now reached 20 or more points in three of the Mercury’s eight playoff games thus far.

Sabally had the hot hand on Friday and was impactful on offense for most of Game 1, despite dealing with foul trouble. The versatile forward ultimately logged 31 minutes, utilizing the three-point shot to finish just shy of 20 points. She concluded as one of Phoenix’s top playmakers on the evening, as well, while proving to be a tough cover for the Aces’ defense. Sabally has now tallied at least 19 points in four consecutive playoff games, but saw her streak of 20-point games end at three. The Mercury would benefit from another productive offensive showing from her in Sunday’s Game 2.

The MVP finalist had another impactful performance. Thomas, in her third Finals appearance, started the game off strong as a scorer before taking on more of a playmaking role up until the fourth quarter. Thomas scored six points in the frame but missed a pair of free throws down the stretch as the Mercury trailed by one point with just over 24 seconds remaining in regulation. Adding to a productive but imperfect night, she turned the ball over five times, which made up nearly half of her team’s total. Thomas still had a productive game overall and finished one assist shy of a triple-double. She’ll be counted on for more two-way production in Sunday’s Game 2.

To say Bonner needed a fourth quarter like the one she enjoyed on Sunday would be an understatement. The veteran forward, who joined the Mercury mid-season after things did not work out with the Fever, scored eight points on 3-of-22 shooting in the first three games of the semifinals. Bonner hit three three-pointers in the fourth quarter of Game 4, including one with 3:39 remaining that gave Phoenix a lead it would not relinquish. The Mercury bench was the difference on Sunday, as they outscored their Minnesota counterparts by a 22-5 margin. Next for Bonner and the Mercury is Indiana or Las Vegas in the WNBA Finals, with Game 1 scheduled for Friday.

Sabally was the lone Mercury player not to start slowly on Sunday, shooting 5-of-9 from the field in the first half. Despite scoring just 14 first-quarter points, Phoenix’s exemplary second quarter on the defensive end of the floor allowed them to pull even at the half. Sabally didn’t do much scoring in the second half, but her play in the first kept Phoenix within striking distance, allowing others to step up late and send the team to the WNBA Finals. Game 1 is on Friday, with Phoenix either visiting Las Vegas or hosting Indiana, depending on the result of Tuesday’s Game 5 between the Aces and Fever.

Despite having a roster with only two holdovers from the 2024 season, the Mercury are headed to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2021. And Thomas, one of the many newcomers, has led the way. She finished the series clincher two rebounds shy of a triple-double, and the 23 points were the most she’s scored in a game this postseason. Due to a torn labrum in both of her shoulders, Thomas has not been able to offer much scoring in the mid-range or perimeter in recent seasons. But the overall skill set makes her one of the WNBA’s most valuable players despite lacking the ability to do much scoring away from the basket. Game 1 of the WNBA Finals is on Friday, with the Mercury facing Indiana or Las Vegas.

Sabally came up big down the stretch for the Mercury on Friday night. After shooting just 1-of-6 from the field over the first three quarters, the left-handed forward more than doubled her points total in the fourth quarter, where she shot 4-of-5 from the field and drained two key three-pointers en route to scoring 15 of the Mercury’s 21 points. Sabally’s fourth-quarter efforts ultimately allowed her to make her way past 20 points and finish as Phoenix’s leading scorer in Game 3. She has now recorded at least 20 points in three of the last four games, which have all been Mercury wins.