The Phoenix Mercury opened their first-round, best-of-three playoff series against the New York Liberty, and for a moment, it felt like they were about to seize Game 1. A blistering 30-point second quarter had Phoenix in control, and when the fourth quarter began, they held a 57–55 lead.
Then the game tightened. And so did the Mercury.
Both teams struggled down the stretch, trading stops and missed opportunities. The Liberty scratched together 10 points in the fourth. Phoenix managed only 8, going 3-of-16 from the field, leaving the door cracked open for someone to take it.
That someone could have been Alyssa Thomas. With the ball in her hands on the final possession of regulation, she drove the paint, spun free, and found herself staring at the rim for what should’ve been a game-winning layup. It rolled off. The moment — and the game — slipped away.
Overtime belonged to New York. The Liberty outscored Phoenix 11–4 in the extra frame, sealing a 76–69 win and sending the Mercury back to the locker room with a long list of what-ifs. Thomas finished with 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists, but not the result she wanted.
“It’s just an unfortunate roll. I’ve made that shot thousands of times, but for me, it’s no big deal,” Thomas said after the game. “There’s still a lot of basketball to play.”
It was an ice-cold night for Phoenix, shooting 32.5% overall and 23.1% from three. Kahleah Copper went 5-of-13, while Satou Sabally endured a brutal 2-of-17 performance and finished with a team-worst -18.
New York was led by former Mercury guard Natasha Cloud, who poured in 23 points against her old team. Breanna Stewart added 18, and Sabrina Ionescu chipped in 16 to give the Liberty the edge.
Now the series shifts to the Big Apple, where Game 2 at Madison Square Garden looms large. Win and the Mercury bring the fight back to Phoenix. Lose and the season ends on Broadway.
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