Phoenix Mercury Advance to Semifinals After Alyssa thomas’ Historic Performance
PHOENIX – Alyssa Thomas recorded a WNBA playoff record triple-double with 16 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists, leading the fourth-seeded Phoenix Mercury to a stunning 89-82 victory over the second-seeded New York Liberty in Game 3 of their first-round series on Tuesday. The Mercury’s win eliminates the Liberty and propels Phoenix into the semifinals.
The Mercury’s triumph marks a notable upset, dethroning a Liberty team widely considered a championship contender. This victory underscores the growing parity in the WNBA and sets the stage for a compelling semifinal matchup. phoenix will now face the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, while the liberty’s season ends in disappointment despite a strong performance from star forward Breanna Stewart.
Thomas’ historic performance was the driving force behind the Mercury’s success. She became the first player in WNBA playoff history to achieve a triple-double, dominating all facets of the game. The back-and-forth contest saw 13 lead changes through the first three quarters,but Phoenix took a 60-59 advantage into the fourth and held on for the win.
breanna Stewart led the Liberty with 30 points, despite playing through a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) in her left knee sustained in Game 1.Her performance tied Diana Taurasi for the moast 30+ point games in playoff history, with eight. However, Stewart’s efforts weren’t enough to overcome Thomas’ all-around dominance and a Mercury team that found contributions from multiple players.Sabrina Ionescu added 22 points for New York, but no other Liberty player scored more than eight.
“AT is incredible.The way that she has really perfected her game to be a nightmare all over the court,” a visibly frustrated Stewart said after the game, acknowledging Thomas’ impact. “She has triple-doubles every single night, so there’s tons of respect between both sides.”
The Mercury will now travel to Minneapolis to begin a best-of-five semifinal series against the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday at Target Center. The Lynx previously defeated the Golden State Valkyries in two games to advance.
