The Mercury overcame an 18-point deficit to stun the Sparks, who struggled to score against Phoenix’s stingy defense in the second half.
The Phoenix Mercury (5-2) improved to 1-0 in WNBA Commissioner’s Cup play with their 85-80 win over the Los Angeles Sparks (2-6) on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena.
Trailing 47-29 with 2:54 left in the second quarter, the Mercury appeared to be dead in the water. Los Angeles dominated with 24 points in the paint. Guard Odyssey Sims scored 17 of her game-high 32 points in the first half, and Phoenix shot just 28.6% (10-of-35) from the field.
But the game was not over yet. Even though Phoenix lacked two members of its Big 3, Alyssa Thomas (calf) and Kahleah Copper (knee), as well as starting forward Natasha Mack (back), the Mercury had some fight left in them.
The Phoenix Mercury are undoubtedly one of the biggest surprises of the young WNBA season. No Kahleah Copper or Natasha Mack with an already top-heavy roster. No Alyssa Thomas these past two games. Then today, Phoenix rallied from down 18 to beat LA at home. Merc improve to 5-2.
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) June 2, 2025
Phoenix began the third quarter on a 10-1 run, which included consecutive 3-pointers from guards Monique Akoa Makani and Sami Whitcomb. The Mercury out-scored the Sparks 24-9 in the third quarter and forced Los Angeles to shoot 2-of-15.
“We finally decided to start guarding,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. “I’ve been extremely proud of how we’ve competed at the defensive end. We’ve played with toughness and grit most of the year.”
The Mercury took control in the fourth with consecutive 3-pointers made by Satou Sabally, who had a team-high 24 points to go along with nine rebounds and four steals, and Akoa Makani to take an 80-74 lead with 2:36 to go. Guard Kitija Laksa and center Kathryn Westbeld each made two key free throws in the last 14 seconds to secure the win.
“I made some of my shots, but honestly, I think it’s just staying consistent throughout the game,” Sabally said. “I wasn’t too worried.”
The most threes by a Merc rookie in franchise history through their first 7 games:
Diana Taurasi (16) 2004
Monique Akoa Makani (15) 2025
Edna Campbell (15) 1999
Kathryn Westbeld (14) 2025
Bridget Pettis (13) 1997 pic.twitter.com/XHKvqVhwWf— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) June 2, 2025
Led by Sabally, Phoenix’s five starters scored in double figures. Westbeld, who has 14 3-pointers through seven games, the fourth-most by a Mercury rookie in franchise history, had 10 of her 15 points in the third quarter, but it has been her defense that stood out to Tibbetts.
“I didn’t know that she was going to be this good defensively,” he said. “She does a good job in pick-and-roll, she does a good job as the low. She’s got verticality. She’s a solid player, and she hit some big threes tonight in the second half, for sure.”
Phoenix’s defense stepped up against the second-leading scorer in the league, Kelsey Plum, who shot 1-of-13 in the second half. Akoa Makani, among others, has found a way to make the game difficult for Plum, who in the May 21 meeting versus Phoenix shot 7-of-19.
“She’s elite, but we have really elite defenders with [Lexi] (Held) and [Akoa Makani], they’re really phenomenal on-ball defenders. [Sevgi] (Uzun) too. They do the job.”
The Mercury will return to play on the road on Tuesday against the undefeated Minnesota Lynx. The game will tip off at 5 p.m. and be televised by Arizona’s Family and Arizona’s Family Sports.
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