On a season-best five-game profitable streak, the Phoenix Mercury will probably be out to proceed their revival once they play host to the defending champion New York Liberty on Friday.
Probably the most prestigious victory of their streak got here June 19 at New York when Monique Akoa Makani scored a team-high 21 factors and Alyssa Thomas delivered 18 factors with 15 rebounds.
The Mercury (11-4) shot simply 41.7 p.c from the ground within the victory, however received with their protection that turned 20 New York turnovers into 19 factors.
Phoenix’s most up-to-date victory got here Saturday when the offense grabbed the eye in a 107-86 highway win over the Chicago Sky. That topped the Mercury’s earlier season-high of 94 factors in a house victory over the Sky on Could 27.
Sami Whitcomb scored a team-high 17 factors off the bench for Phoenix on Saturday and has three of her 5 double-digit scoring video games within the final three contests.
“The idea is 100% there,” Whitcomb stated of the workforce’s spectacular begin after ending beneath .500 in every of the previous three seasons. “We’re attempting to chip away each single day. We’re attempting to give attention to us and not likely worrying about the rest.”
Since lacking 5 consecutive video games when the calendar flipped from Could to June, Thomas has averaged 13.6 factors with 9.8 assists and 6.8 rebounds over the previous 5 video games.
The Liberty (11-3) arrive after incomes an 81-78 highway victory over the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday, however they’ve misplaced three of 5 following a 9-0 begin.
Breanna Stewart scored 23 factors with 10 rebounds in opposition to the Valkyries and Kennedy Burke had 20 factors off the bench. Sabrina Ionescu scored 11 factors, however was simply 1 of seven from 3-point vary in her Bay Space homecoming.
“We’re resilient,” Stewart stated. “There’s a variety of issues which might be taking place on our workforce and we proceed to battle by it irrespective of who’s on the ground.”
Ionescu was simply 1 of 10 from lengthy distance in final week’s house loss to Phoenix, which makes her 2 of 17 (11.8 p.c) on 3-point makes an attempt up to now two video games whereas enjoying by a neck damage. She is capturing a career-low 31.8 p.c from distance.
Jonquel Jones (12.1 factors, 9.6 rebounds per recreation) has missed the previous two video games for New York with a proper ankle sprain and is predicted to overlook one other month.
–Area Stage Media
