What to make of the Phoenix Mercury?
By means of seven video games, the crew sits at 3-4, homeowners of an inspiring win, a 98-88 conquer the Aces in Las Vegas, and a few disappointing shows, highlighted by a 70-47 loss to the Solar in Connecticut. That Brittney Griner has but to play within the 2024 season attributable to a toe damage makes the Mercury even tougher to evaluate.
Coming into the season, there was some skepticism concerning the Mercury from round these elements, a perception that the group’s offseason strikes, from hiring a brand new head coach to signing free brokers Natasha Cloud and Rebecca Allen to executing a blockbuster commerce for Kahleah Copper, represented a lot sound and fury that, finally, would signify little by way of elevating Phoenix right into a title contender, or perhaps a playoff crew.
Nevertheless, regardless of a beneath .500 document, the Mercury have proven sufficient encouraging indicators, suggesting that the offseason revitalization has the crew heading in the right direction. Listed below are three early-season observations about Phoenix.
The brand new additions are excelling
Phoenix gave up quite a bit to convey Kahleah Copper to the Valley, sending the No. 3 decide within the 2024 WNBA Draft, which grew to become Kamilla Cardoso, a 2026 first-round decide and rotational gamers Brianna Turner and Michaela Onyenwere to the Chicago Sky.
Thus far, the 2021 Finals MVP has been definitely worth the haul. After dropping a career-high 38 factors on the Atlanta Dream, she doused the Aces for 37 factors, changing into solely the second participant in WNBA historical past to attain 35 or extra factors in back-to-back video games. Bolstered by these outbursts, she’s averaging 24.7 factors per sport, the third-best mark within the league. She additionally was named Western Convention Participant of the Week and not too long ago surpassed 3,000 profession factors.
Natasha Cloud likewise is placing up large numbers in Phoenix, besides within the assists class. She’s tossing 7.1 dimes per sport, good for the very best common in her profession and the third-highest within the league to date. She additionally moved as much as nineteenth on the W’s all-time assists checklist.
Then, there’s the stunning emergence of Natasha Mack, a coaching camp signing who not solely earned a roster spot, however, within the absence of Griner, is also serving because the Mercury’s beginning heart. She’s taking advantage of the chance, utilizing her outlier athletic abilities to do the soiled work, grabbing seven boards, swatting greater than two pictures and swiping almost a steal per sport. Final November, Swish Attraction’s Łukasz Muniowski talked to Mack about her hoops journey.
Phoenix has an outlined offensive identification
A part of the successes of Copper, Cloud and Mack should be attributed to the offensive system put in by new head coach Nate Tibbetts. The Mercury are taking part in quick and firing away, at present rating second in tempo and first in 3-point makes an attempt.
Copper is taking a career-high 6.7 triples per sport, whereas Diana Taurasi—by no means shy about launching from behind the arc—at present leads the league in complete 3-pointers made. As a crew, greater than 38 % of the Mercury’s factors have come from lengthy vary, whereas a league-low 43.1 % of their factors have been generated through 2-pointers.
Briefly, Tibbetts and the crew are all in on a contemporary, analytically-inclined offensive strategy. In fact, such an embrace of the 3-ball doesn’t come with out pitfalls, as was evident in Uncasville. The gods of 3-point variance seemingly cursed Phoenix with a 1-for-27 3-point capturing efficiency—solely 3.7 %—of their loss to the Solar, explaining why the Mercury scored solely 47 factors, the lowest single-game level complete by a WNBA crew since 2015.
Come again, BG
Phoenix’s defensive identification, in distinction, is a piece in progress, as they sport a defensive score of 103.8, the second-worst score within the league.
Though a single participant can’t resolve all the Mercury’s issues on that finish, Brittney Griner is as shut because it will get to a singular defensive system. Arguably the best rim protector in WNBA historical past, the 6-foot-9 Griner can take management the paint, not solely discouraging drives but in addition serving as a backstop for when Phoenix’s perimeter defenders aggressively pursue steals or insufficiently present resistance.
Griner, who has been out of a strolling boot for a couple of days, was getting work in on the courtroom earlier than the Mercury’s eventual 81-78 loss to the New York Liberty on Wednesday, suggesting she is progressing towards a return. Earlier than the sport, Tibbetts additionally indicated that she is shut to creating her season debut.
The Mercury end up their present three-game highway journey with a matchup in opposition to the Minnesota Lynx on Friday, Could 31 at 9:30 p.m. ET (ION). They then welcome the Los Angeles Sparks to Phoenix on Sunday, June 2 for a Commissioner’s Cup sport at 6 p.m. ET (League Go).
