Mercury Rally to Steal Game 2 in Historic Comeback Against Lynx
In a stunning display of resilience, the phoenix Mercury overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat the Minnesota Lynx 90-88 in Game 2 of their WNBA playoff series on Tuesday. The victory, secured on the Lynx’s home court, levels the best-of-five series 1-1 as it shifts to Phoenix for Games 3 and 4.
The Lynx, the No. 1 seed after a dominant regular season record of 32-10,appeared to be in control early,but the Mercury,who finished the regular season 27-17 as the fourth seed,refused to concede. A fiery halftime address from Mercury head coach Vanessa Tibbetts sparked a important shift in momentum, though players remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the message, describing it as a moment of accountability.
A pivotal moment came in the third quarter with a “blood timeout” necessitated by an injury to Lynx player Napheesa Collier and requiring cleanup on the court. Following the extended break, the Mercury began their climb back, fueled by a strong performance from their bench. Forward Kathryn Westbeld, a 29-year-old rookie, proved instrumental, contributing 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals.
“Kat was huge for us. Kat came in and gave us incredible minutes. She had huge shots,” said mercury guard Sami Whitcomb, who added 13 points, including a crucial 3-pointer to tie the game at the end of regulation. “And I feel like that, really, we all lifted.We lifted defensively. We got stops.” The bench collectively scored 25 points for Phoenix.
Minnesota struggled to respond, committing 10 turnovers in the second half and losing the battle for offensive rebounds. Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve attributed the collapse to a lack of execution. “I think the lack of execution led us to the uncertainty…simple things, pass and catch, and just being able to dribble the ball off the court and we’re throwing it out of bounds,” she explained. The Lynx starters accounted for all but three of their points on the night, and shot a dismal 7-for-28 from beyond the arc.
Phoenix, now with momentum on their side, will rely on the core of Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi, and Sophie Sabally – who matched Collier with a game-high 24 points – as the series moves to Arizona. Griner’s competitive spirit was on full display, even leading to a heated exchange with Collier after a foul late in the game. While Griner downplayed the specifics of the interaction, her intensity embodies the Mercury’s determination.
Griner, with 52 career playoff games under her belt, is focused on securing a WNBA championship. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday night.
