The triple-double queen, Alyssa Thomas, might have had a season to remember, but the final buzzer hasn’t sounded on her story. “Yeah, to win a championship, I feel like none of the records or any of it is completed without a championship,” she said. But that dream ring still feels just out of reach. Down 0-2 in the WNBA Finals, the Phoenix Mercury need nothing short of a miracle to stay alive. But if there’s one thing Alyssa Thomas has shown all season, it is that she doesn’t quit.

She led the Mercury to claw their way back against the defending champs in Round 1 and then took down the team with the best regular-season record, the Minnesota Lynx, in the semifinals. Now, she has her sights set on accomplishing the impossible: making a comeback against the Aces.

Speaking ahead of Game 3, Thomas clarified that belief inside the locker room hasn’t wavered. According to reporter Aya Abdeen, the Mercury forward has a bold message for A’ja Wilson and co: “We love an underdog story. We love when people count us out. Of course, we put a tall task in front of us being down two [to] nothing, but there’s still a lot of basketball left to play. [It’s just been] two of a seven-game series. Still a lot of confidence here. We just know we have a lot of room to improve.”

If one thing hasn’t clicked for the Mercury, it’s Alyssa Thomas’ rhythm. The same player who just broke Caitlin Clark’s single-season assists record suddenly looks out of sync. The pace she usually dictates with ease? Missing. The playmaking magic that makes her teammates shine? Hard to find.

In the regular season, she shot the ball with an eFG% of 53.2. But in the playoffs, those numbers dropped down to 49.3%, a slight dip, one could say. The assist numbers took a freefall to 8.7 from 9.2 in the postseason, and doubts are creeping in. Yet, she increased her points tally by two points from the regular season, and it looks like she’s getting on track to bring the Mercury closer to the sun. But it’s causing a butterfly effect as her teammates miss her regular-season playmaking output.

In the Finals, the Aces have found a way to slow her down. Their zone defense has clogged the middle, making it challenging for Thomas to control the pace like usual. After missing crucial free throws in Game 1, Thomas followed it up with her least productive outing of this magical run — just 10 points, six rebounds, and five assists in Game 2.

But coach Tibbetts knows that Phoenix’s best shot at a comeback isn’t just about plays on a clipboard. It’s her competitive fire.

Coach Nate Tibbetts showers praise on Alyssa Thomas

Yes, Thomas missed those two clutch free throws in Game 1, which could’ve given Mercury the win. Whereas anyone who knows basketball knows this isn’t a surprise. She’s never been a reliable free-throw or three-point shooter. At 65.1% from the line and just 1-of-26 from deep in her career, her numbers tell the story.

It’s not a question of skill. Thomas has been playing through a torn labrum in each shoulder for most of her WNBA career, which naturally limits her range of motion. To adapt, play through it, and still rise to become one of the league’s best is proof of her sheer resilience. Coach Tibbetts certainly appreciates this the most.

“She’s the ultimate competitor,” Mercury head coach said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever been around anyone quite like her in my whole (life), and I grew up in the gym. My dad was a high school coach, right? I’ve been around a lot of players, and I’ve never seen anyone that wants to win as bad as she does. I’m just absolutely blown away by her toughness and grit.”

As long as Alyssa Thomas is on the floor and healthy, the Mercury are never truly out of it. The first two games have been challenging, as the team needed to adjust to the Aces’ zone defense. Now that the series shifts back to Phoenix Arena, don’t be alarmed if the Mercury solves the puzzle and delivers checkmate to give the Aces headaches in the next two games.

And maybe, just maybe, the impossible happens, and Thomas finally wins her first championship ring on her third attempt.