Mercury Dethrone Reigning Champions, Eliminate Liberty in Game 3

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PHOENIX — The Phoenix Mercury advanced to the WNBA semifinals in a thrilling 79-73 Game 3 victory, eliminating the defending champion New York Liberty in a winner-take-all contest. The hard-fought series came to a close last night at the Footprint Center, with the Mercury moving on to face the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx.

The defining story of the night was the dominant performance of the Mercury’s dynamic duo and the valiant, yet ultimately insufficient, effort from the Liberty’s star.

Thomas Records Historic Triple-Double

Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas was the engine for her team’s success, delivering an all-time playoff performance with a triple-double of 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. Her stat line was historic, as she became the first player in WNBA history to record a 20-point triple-double in the postseason. Thomas’s record-setting night was complemented by Satou Sabally, who added 23 points and 12 rebounds.

The Mercury dominated the boards, outrebounding the Liberty 49-33, and their aggressive play earned them a decisive advantage at the free-throw line.

Stewart’s Heroic Effort Falls Short

On the other side, Breanna Stewart, playing on a sprained MCL, delivered a monumental performance despite her injury. She scored a game-high 30 points, including all 14 of the Liberty’s fourth-quarter points. However, the rest of the Liberty’s offense struggled, particularly from beyond the arc, where they shot a dismal 7 for 32.

Sabrina Ionescu was the only other Liberty player in double figures with 22 points, while Jonquel Jones, the 2024 Finals MVP, had a quiet night with just three points on 1-for-10 shooting. The lack of offensive support for Stewart was too much to overcome against a physical and well-rounded Mercury team.

The loss brings the Liberty’s title defense to an end, while the Mercury will now prepare for the semifinals, with Game 1 against the Lynx scheduled for Sunday.