The comeback Phoenix Mercury kids have done it again.
Trailing the Los Angeles Sparks by 18 points, the Mercury claimed victory—thanks to the defensive intensity and contributions by the rookies. This Phoenix team continues to surge without without Kahleah Copper, Natasha Mack and Alyssa Thomas.
Off to a blazing start, the Mercury continues to surprise the league. Completing yet another comeback from a deficit of 15 points or more, the rookies’ efforts have been significant all season. Not to mention, their 5-2 record is the best since 2014—the last time they won a championship.
Phoenix Mercury Stay Aggressive on Defense While Making History
The Phoenix Mercury have pulled off multiple comebacks this season, overcoming deficits of 15 points or more to secure wins. Phoenix is the first WNBA team to achieve this in a three-game span since the Washington Mystics did so in 2018 (May 22 vs. Aces, May 27 vs. Lynx). The Phoenix Mercury have also tied the second-largest comeback in franchise history.
NATE THE GREAT. https://t.co/ualKpOgsA6
— Kahleah Copper (@kahleahcopper) June 2, 2025
“The answer is always defense,” Phoenix Mercury forward Kathryn Westbeld said Sunday. “The first half, we weren’t ourselves in any category, and it always starts on defense. So we got three stops in a row, which leads to (picking up on) the offense.”
On Friday, Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve praised Nate Tibbetts and the Phoenix Mercury’s defensive game plan after the Lynx won in a thriller on the road— thanks to Natisha Hiedeman’s last second three-point dagger. Two days later, the Mercury’s defense stepped up, holding the Sparks to just nine points in the third quarter.
Tibbetts and the coaching staff effectively implemented a defensive game plan that limited Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum to just four made field goals during the game. Additionally, they succeeded in getting Azura Stevens into foul trouble, as she accumulated four personal fouls and was limited to five points and seven rebounds.
“We finally decided to start guarding,” 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. That first half was not us, and we responded and stepped up and held (the Sparks) to nine in the third quarter.”
How the Phoenix Mercury Came Back From 18 Down Against the Sparks
The Phoenix Mercury allowed 27 points in the first quarter, and Odyssey Sims’ was unstoppable from the 3-point line, scoring 17 points. Sims finished the game with 32 points, which was the most since she was a member of the Minnesota Lynx in 2019.
The Mercury’s defense improved at the Sparks’ three-point line during the second half, limiting them to just eight three-pointers for the entire game. Phoenix finished with a total of 12 made three-pointers.
“I remember Nate saying in the timeout, ‘We don’t have to start a new half after the half, like we can start right now,’ ” Westbeld said. “And so that was the motivation of ‘Let’s not have a complete crappy first half. Let’s start right now and turn this game around.’ “
Westbeld finished the night with 15 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks. Guard Monique Akoa Makani had another phenomenal starting performance with 10 points, five rebounds and six assists.
The Mercury have been impressed with Westbeld’s defensive presence and her ability to make three-pointers.
“I’ve just been extremely pleased with her defensively,” Tibbetts said about Westbeld. “I didn’t know that she was going to be this good defensively. She does a good job in (the) 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 3s tonight in the second half for sure.”
Satou Sabally Continues to Impress for the Phoenix Mercury
Forward Satou Sabally had a stand out game for the Mercury, scoring 24 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and recording four steals against the Sparks. Through the last three games, she is averaging 23.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals for Phoenix.
Acquired in the offseason, Sabally has made a significant impact while learning from veterans like Thomas and Copper, who is recovering from left knee arthroscopy.
She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent a franchise with a storied history and legends who have paved the way since the first WNBA season in 1997.
“I’m happy,” Sabally said. “I’m super happy to be in a new environment with great people around an organization that is also able to keep us healthy and pours everything into us. So I really feel grateful to be able to give that back. That’s what I do, and I really do it with pride. So I’m just really helpful, really happy, that I can be helpful.”
Next-Person-Up Mentality in Phoenix
With Thomas and Mack absent for the Mercury, frontcourt depth is crucial. Center Kalani Brown has been outstanding for Phoenix over the last two games with her scoring and rebounding ability.
Brown finished Sunday’s game with eight points, and gives credit to Tibbetts for encouraging her to stay confident while getting some playing time.
“I definitely feel more confident,” Brown said Friday. “Coach (Nate Tibbetts) was telling me, ‘just be you, be dominant,’ and he’s been telling me that. It’s been an adjustment in the system, so just to feel some normalcy, felt good.”
Guard Kitija Laksa, who stepped up in Thomas’ absence, made a crucial steal from Plum and sank two free throws to secure the win for the team. She finished with 15 points, and shot 2-3 from beyond the arc. In fact, Mercury are 2-0 when Laksa scores 15 or more points for Phoenix.
For the first time in the Phoenix Mercury’s franchise history and the third time in league history, all five starters have made two or more three-pointers in a game. Monique Akoa Makani and Westbeld have each made 15 and 14 three-pointers, respectively, through the first seven games— marking the highest totals since legend Diana Taurasi in 2004.
How the Mercury Look to Improve Against the Lynx
The Mercury aims for improved starts in games, leading to better long-term results as they face the Minnesota Lynx on the road this Tuesday. Napheesa Collier has returned from a knee injury after missing Friday’s matchup against Phoenix.
“I feel like the first half and the second half are always kind of two different games,” Westbeld said. “And it seems like we start games slow a little bit in the first half. I think Nate (Tibbetts) has put an emphasis on we have to start the second half stronger than the other team, and we just turned it up today. The first half was unacceptable in every category, so we had a lot of motivation going into the second half.”
Since training camp, the Phoenix Mercury have continued to rally around each other and bring positive vibes into the season. Despite concerns of how their bench depth would look like at the start of the season, they have surprised the league with the talent and defensive presence the group of rookies bring in.
“I’m always gonna tell them to keep firing,” Tibbetts said of what he expects Phoenix to continue staying confident in games.
The. Mercury will play two home games against the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday and the Seattle Storm on Saturday.
