PHOENIX — The Phoenix Mercury will be a dangerous squad when at full strength, as evidenced by a strong shorthanded effort on Saturday in a 89-77 loss to the Seattle Storm.
Phoenix is now 6-4 this season, an impressive feat considering the injuries and its roster undergoing a major makeover this offseason, moving on from the Diana Taurasi/Brittney Griner era.
“To be 6-4 with the number of injuries we’ve had coming into the year — we’re missing three starters. … I’m extremely happy. I’m not satisfied, I don’t think any of us are, but I do like where we’re at and I think help is coming,” coach Nate Tibbetts said postgame.
The Mercury reloaded in a major way, making two blockbuster trades to form a Big 3, and only center Satou Sabally has been healthy all season.
All-Star wing and Second Team All-WNBA nod Kahleah Copper has yet to make her season debut after having a procedure done on her left knee. She isn’t expected back for at least one more week, while All-Star forward and First Team All-WNBA nod Alyssa Thomas played five games before injuring her left calf and does not have a timeline for a return yet, per Desert Wave Media. Forward Natasha Mack has also not played all season due to injury.
Phoenix has made up for the obvious lack of offensive firepower by priding itself on defense and an identity built around competing.
“There was a new energy, there was a new team,” Tibbetts said pregame. “You had Satou and A.T. take a chance in coming here and wanting to be here.”
That attempt has been successful, with the Mercury entering play on Saturday third in defensive rating, riding that into this surprising start. They came in 10th out of 13 teams in offensive rating.
“If you’re selfish in this group, you kind of stick out. … I love our group. … You want to hang your hat on something and for us to hang our hat on, ‘We’re gonna play’ and you know when you play the Mercury that they’re gonna compete, that says a lot about your group,” Tibbetts said.
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The fight was on display Saturday, scrapping through a back-and-forth affair with Seattle (5-4), who pulled away late due to terrific individual performances from guards Gabby Williams (21 points and seven assists) and Skylar Diggins (26 points and seven assists).
It’s the type of loss Phoenix is going to have to live with when this shorthanded, although Tibbetts did say it was the first game this season where its pick-and-roll coverage had some mistakes in it.
Sabally did her best to carry the team offensively, providing 22 points, five rebounds and six assists. She saw extra bodies constantly, and coming into the night, Phoenix was +22 with her on the floor and -34 when she was resting in the four games Phoenix was without both Copper and Thomas.
Phoenix aced its offseason not only with the big moves but filling in the margins as well.
Mercury coaches have credited various players for stepping up on that end, like guard Lexi Held, forward Kathryn Westbeld and guard Sami Whitcomb. Whitcomb is a nine-year veteran of the league but Held and Westbeld are both rookies, as are guards Kitija Laksa and Monique Akoa Makani.
Those four first-year players make up half the team’s top-eight in minutes per game despite none of them being drafted this year, as all of Phoenix’s draft capital had been traded away.
Akoa Makani, a starting guard to begin the year, played internationally since 2018 and at 24 years old was originally signed by the Mercury to a training camp deal. The 29-year-old Laksa was drafted in the first round back in 2020 but never played in a game, going overseas for five years before returning. Westbeld, 29, got out of Notre Dame in 2018 and it took her seven years to find a place in the W. It took the 25-year-old Held a few less years but she was on that same path.
Held, in particular, stood out on Saturday.
She was the only other Mercury player in double figures besides Sabally with 14 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals off the bench. The 5-foot-10 guard sparked the team with her on-ball defense and ability to shoot off the dribble from 3, two key traits that will provide a boost off the bench all year.
You can imagine the effect this has on the stars as well, knowing the potential the team has when fully healthy. All the capabilities are there to contend and this being beyond an over-reliance on their high-end talent.
“Even with the injuries, those three are seeing the potential that we have, even without a couple of them being out there,” Tibbetts said.
Mercury’s next game
Phoenix stays at home for a Wednesday night matchup against the Dallas Wings (1-8). Tipoff is at 7 p.m. and the game can be seen on Arizona’s Family 3TV.
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