The Phoenix Mercury knocked off the defending champion New York Liberty with a 79-73 win on Friday to earn a spot within the 2025 WNBA semifinals. They may tackle the No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET.
That is the primary time the Mercury have superior out of the primary spherical since 2021, they usually did so behind a triple-double of 20 factors, 11 rebounds and 11 assists from MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas.
“We’re not prepared for this to be over,” Thomas mentioned throughout her postgame interview. “We received a particular group. We need to hold enjoying. Tonight was nearly taking this win.”
The Liberty have been the favorites to win this sequence and took Sport 1 with a 76-69 lead to extra time, however the Mercury pressured a Sport 3 with a 25-point victory in New York.
The Mercury got here out with quite a lot of vitality on Friday and outworked New York for many of the first half, as proven by their 28-15 benefit in rebounds after the primary two quarters. The Liberty turned up the warmth defensively within the third quarter and held Phoenix to only 15 factors, however solely Breanna Stewart was in a position to rating for New York within the final 10 minutes of the sport.
Minnesota might be a troublesome semifinals opponent because the Lynx earned the No. 1 seed within the playoffs by being probably the most constant workforce all yr. The Lynx went 3-1 towards the Mercury through the common season, however Thomas mentioned her workforce might be stronger this time round.
“They have not seen us full energy,” Thomas mentioned throughout her postgame interview. “We’re prepared, we’re able to play.”
Thomas retains making historical past
There have solely been seven triple-doubles in WNBA playoff historical past, and Thomas owns 5 of them. The opposite two belong to Sheryl Swoopes and Courtney Vandersloot. Thomas is the primary one to do it with no less than 20 factors. Friday was additionally her ninth triple-double in 2025.
“Is that AT’s first triple-double of the yr?” Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts joked. “I believe we’re simply sort of getting used to it. That is simply what she does. She impacts the sport in so many various methods. She cares about one factor, and that is profitable. If you received a participant of her caliber with that a lot satisfaction win a recreation and do no matter it takes, you’ll have an ideal workforce.”
A full workforce effort
Thomas is the chief of the workforce, however the vitality got here from a number of gamers. Satou Sabally scored 23 factors and a playoff career-high 12 rebounds, though she joked that her double-double appeared “modest” in comparison with what Thomas did.
Kahlea Cooper nearly received one too with 12 factors and 9 rebounds. In the meantime, Sami Whitbomb gave the workforce 13 factors off the bench and assisted Cooper on the final discipline aim of the evening. One other spotlight of the evening was DeWanna Bonner tallying eight boards to cross Candace Parker (610) for first all-time on the playoff rebounds record.
“For this reason we tried to get her to come back again dwelling to Phoenix the final two offseasons,” Tibbetts mentioned of Bonner. “I rewatched our recreation the opposite evening and simply listening to what folks have been saying on TV about all of her accolades, what she has performed within the playoffs … We’re so rattling fortunate to have her. She’s been superior, we have beloved having her. She is a giant cause why we’re the place we’re.”
Stewart deserves credit score
Stewart suffered an MCL sprain in her left knee throughout Sport 2, however she determined to go well with up on Friday and put forth a valiant effort. Though many of the Liberty got here out flat, Stewart introduced the vitality from the start and performed with the identical depth for all 35 of her minutes. She left all of it out on the ground and scored all of New York’s 14 factors within the fourth quarter.
Stewart completed the evening with 30 factors, 9 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. She additionally earned quite a lot of respect from her opponents.
“When it is playoff time, you do not wanna go dwelling. You are gonna give all the things you’ve,” Thomas mentioned of Stewart. “Stewie’s the final word competitor. She confirmed it day in, time out, particularly with all of the accidents she’s had. It’s important to give her quite a lot of credit score for what she was in a position to do.”
