The Mercury were never favored, with just a 10.7% chance to reach the WNBA Finals against Minnesota’s 89.3%. But in Game 1, a dazzling 47-point first-half showed they weren’t ready to give up. Though it wasn’t enough, as the Lynx made a comeback and Game 1 was a loss for the Mercury. Still, none of them pointed fingers and none placed blame. They knew they had what it took. Despite predictions and Minnesota’s 3-1 regular-season record over them, the Mercury bounced back, defying expectations with an overtime victory in Game 2.

The motivation came from being underestimated. As Alyssa Thomas said, “I appreciate when they don’t pick us because, you know, that’s just added fuel, added motivation. And we know the type of people we have in this locker room,” she shared during a September 25 interview with Yahoo Sports. “We have people that have won championships. So we just continue to stay our course and do what we do.”

And yes, you can say they are the underdogs. Many wrote off the Mercury early. No Taurasi, no Griner, only one returning starter, and a new “Big 3” that didn’t even have that starter for the season’s first leg. Plus, no one forgot last year’s 19–21 record and first-round exit.

Heading into the series against the Lynx, their MVP candidate, Alyssa Thomas, who’s usually unstoppable, was double-teamed. So another predicted win for the Lynx was somewhat justified. But learning from mistakes and being resilient is something the Mercury has done over the years. Game 2 was no different. They erased a 20-point deficit in the third quarter. They trusted their bench, let Sami Whitcomb play some major minutes, and it worked, too. She hit a second-chance three-point shot to send the game into overtime.

Then there was Kathryn Westbeld. With 5:45 left in the third, the Lynx led by 20. Coach Tibbetts brought in 29-year-old rookie Westbeld, who scored 8 points, including two clutch threes, grabbed a rebound, and had two steals, cutting the lead to 8. The bench outscored Minnesota 25–3, swinging momentum in Phoenix’s favor.

Crediting Westbeld, AT had earlier said, “It’s a team win. I think Kat came in and gave us some great energy, and that really sparked us, and you know, when we play like that we can do anything. I am just super proud that we didn’t give up today”. 

So, the credit for the big win is shared by the team. The team’s frontcourt is stacked with an explosive trio: AT, who posted 19 points; Sabally, with 24 points; and Copper, with eight points and three assists. But the game-changer remains their bench.

They have vets like DeWanna Bonner, with 16 seasons and two championship titles, and Sami Whitcomb, a seasoned vet with two championship wins in 2018 and 2020. As AT shared, having veterans on the team helps with championship experience, evident from Bonner and Whitcomb’s contributions. While Bonner posted four points, Whitcomb had 13, and Westbeld followed up with eight in Game 2.

The team together led to a comeback that no one saw coming. “I think it just says we’re very resilient. We’re a tough group. It would have been very easy for us to give in tonight. A lot of teams would’ve,” shared Mercury HC. And, well, can you deny the fact that Mercury has been resilient? They’ve bounced back from injuries to their big three, and now they’ve made a comeback after being down 0-1 in Round 2. But while Game 2 tilted in Mercury’s favor, Napheesa Collier and co. are already preparing for a comeback.

Lynx pose new challenges ahead of Game 3

When Mercury won, Napheesa Collier admitted, “Phoenix did a good job coming out aggressive, but I think we beat ourselves… Unforced turnovers, not taking care of the ball when they were pressuring us. It’s definitely frustrating, but it’s a series. A long series. We’re tied now; we’ve got to go to Phoenix and take care of business.” Spot on—Mercury held the Lynx to a mere 25% from beyond the arc and forced fewer turnovers. But as Collier shared, the Lynx have to take care of business in the next game.

The team is already one of the top teams across the league. They’ve been one of the most defensively sound teams, led by MVP runner-up this season, Napheesa Collier. Even their head coach is known for figuring out her opponents and making adjustments to win. But the scary part of their roster is their player rotation.

You never know who’s coming next. In Game 1 against Mercury, Minnesota played Maria Kliundikova for eight minutes, but in Game 2, they played Shephard for 15 minutes. During Game 1 against GSW, however, they played almost every bench player. These players even added 42 points to win. The mantra is simple: play the one who’s willing to perform, and this can be different faces each time. What do you think? What will happen in Game 3?