Latest news with #PhoenixMercury
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
WNBA Team Escapes Another Loss After Releasing Player
WNBA Team Escapes Another Loss After Releasing Player originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As the WNBA season heats up, the looming EuroBasket tournament could force several teams to lose players for 11 or more days midseason. Advertisement One team hoping to avoid any roster shake-ups is the Phoenix Mercury. After an 85-80 road win over Los Angeles on Sunday, Phoenix sits at 5-2 and is off to a strong start in 2025. Thankfully for the Mercury, it looks like they'll keep their current roster intact. According to Desert Wave Media, forward Natasha Mack will not compete for Montenegro at EuroBasket, which is from June 18-29. Instead, she'll remain with the Mercury. "Phoenix Mercury forward Natasha Mack will not play for Montenegro at EuroBasket (June 18-29) and will remain with the Mercury," Desert Wave Media's X post read. Mack was selected with the 16th pick in the second round of the 2021 WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky. She starred at Oklahoma State, where she was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year in 2020 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. Advertisement Her early WNBA career included just three appearances with the Sky before she was released. Mack signed a 7-day contract with Minnesota in 2021 and played in one game. After spending time overseas, she returned to the league in 2024 and signed with Phoenix. Last season, Mack played in all 40 games and started 11 of them. She averaged 3.8 points and 1.1 assists per game. In 2025, she has yet to suit up for the Mercury due to a back injury. The same report noted one more player-related update: "After waiving Sevgi Uzun, the Mercury will not lose any players for EuroBasket." Phoenix Mercury forward Natasha Mack (4).© Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Uzun was cut early Monday night in a somewhat surprising move. She had played in all seven games and was averaging 14.6 minutes per contest. Advertisement Phoenix returns to action on Tuesday night on the road against Minnesota. After that, they'll host three straight games against Golden State, Seattle and Dallas. Related: Atlanta Dream Coach Had Strong Words After Brittney Griner's Return Related: Fans React After New Report Emerges on Caitlin Clark's Injury Timeline This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Phoenix visits Minnesota after Collier's 24-point game
Phoenix Mercury (5-2, 3-2 Western Conference) at Minnesota Lynx (7-0, 6-0 Western Conference) Minneapolis; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota Lynx faces the Phoenix Mercury after Napheesa Collier scored 24 points in the Minnesota Lynx's 86-75 victory against the Golden State Valkyries. Advertisement Minnesota finished 30-10 overall and 14-6 in Western Conference games a season ago. The Lynx shot 44.8% from the field and 38.0% from 3-point range last season. Phoenix finished 19-21 overall last season while going 10-10 in Western Conference action. The Mercury averaged 81.5 points per game while shooting 43.9% from the field and 32.6% from deep last season. INJURIES: Lynx: None listed. Mercury: Kahleah Copper: out (knee), Natasha Mack: out (back). ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WNBA Head Coach Feels 'Weird' Playing Mercury Without Diana Taurasi
WNBA Head Coach Feels 'Weird' Playing Mercury Without Diana Taurasi originally appeared on Athlon Sports. There's a new era of Phoenix Mercury basketball with the retirement of WNBA star Diana Taurasi. The one-time Most Valuable Player decided in February to retire from the game of basketball after 20 years. Taurasi spent the entirety of her career with the Mercury. Advertisement On Friday, the Mercury are scheduled to play against the Minnesota Lynx. The team has been coached by Cheryl Reeve since 2009, the same year Taurasi was crowned the best player in the league. However, this is the first season that Reeve will coach against a Phoenix team without Taurasi. Before the game, she revealed her thoughts about the Mercury not having the basketball legend on their roster. Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi drives around Minnesota Lynx guard Bridget Matay-Imagn Images The media asked the head coach ahead of the game about her thoughts on the first WNBA season without the iconic player. "It is weird, being here in Phoenix," Reeve said about facing the Mercury without Taurasi via Hayden Cilley on X. "It'd be weird to walk out there and some of the teams that they've had... Maybe not weird, but different, for sure." According to StatHead, Taurasi played 61 games against the Lynx during the regular season in her career. She had a record of 26-35 with averages of 17.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and four assists. In the playoffs, the 11-time All-Star played 13 games against Minnesota and finished with a record of 2-11. In the postseason, the Mercury legend averaged 21.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Advertisement Her last game against the Lynx was in the 2024 playoffs. Taurasi had 10 points, four rebounds and three assists in Game 2 of the first round. Related: Mercury Make Important Brittney Griner Announcement Before Sun Clash This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Sparks fail to hold on to 18-point lead in frustrating loss to Mercury
Sparks guard Kelsey Plum drives to the basket during an 85-80 loss to the Phoenix Mercury at Arena on Sunday. (Juan Ocampo / NBAE via Getty Images) When the Sparks faced the Phoenix Mercury last month, the game ended with a failed Sparks comeback. There was another comeback Sunday — and it belonged to Phoenix. Unable to stay ahead after building an 18-point lead, the Sparks fell 85-80 to the Mercury at Arena for their third consecutive loss. Advertisement The third quarter once again proved to be the Sparks undoing. After scoring just seven points in the third quarter in their loss to Phoenix on May 21, the Sparks were outscored 24-9 in the third on Sunday. Read more: Sparks can't stop A'ja Wilson and Aces in Kelsey Plum's return to Las Vegas Before the game, Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said consistency in transition defense, avoiding prolonged bad stretches and fluid ball movement would define a strong third quarter. None of that materialized against Phoenix. After opening with their best first quarter of the season, the Sparks quickly became visibly frustrated in the second half. A three-pointer from Kathryn Westbeld with 2:11 left in the third gave the Mercury their first lead, 58–57, and capped a 21-5 run. Advertisement The shift in energy was palpable in what became a chippy, physical game. Momentum swung in Phoenix's favor late in the third when Satou Sabally was fouled by Kelsey Plum while scoring on a layup, pointing and shouting to the Sparks bench as she celebrated. Sabally finished as the Mercury's leading scorer with 24 points. She also had nine rebounds. The teams traded leads early in the fourth quarter. Trailing by two, with 25 seconds left, Plum turned over the ball while trying to pass to an open shooter. Plum then fouled Kitija Laksa, who made two free throws to make it a four-point game. Plum was one for 13 in the second half, finishing with 15 points and six rebounds. Advertisement The Sparks were a different team in the first quarter behind a new starting lineup of Julie Allemand, Dearica Hamby, Azurá Stevens, Odyssey Sims, Plum. They scored 27 points and had a 10-point lead going into the second quarter. After struggling with flat starts all season, the team finally found an early rhythm — one they've shown in flashes, but haven't sustained. Standing at 5-foot-8, Sims — one of the Sparks' fiercest competitors — helped keep the team in the game to the finish, scoring a game-high 32 points. She relentlessly attacked the basket, giving Mercury defender Sami Whitcomb the 'too small' gesture in the process. She hit the floor multiple times on hard drives, fighting through contact, and getting in the faces of Mercury defenders to confront them about foul calls. At times, the toll of her effort showed, as she walked with a slight limp between plays. Despite the effort it wasn't enough to secure a much-needed win for a Sparks team that will play eight of its next 11 games on the road. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Mercury overcome an 18-point first-half deficit to beat the Sparks 85-80
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Satou Sabally had 24 points, nine rebounds and four steals, Kathryn Westbeld and Kitija Laksa each scored 15 and the Phoenix Mercury overcame an 18-point first-half deficit to beat the Los Angeles Sparks 85-80 on Sunday. Westbeld made an open 3-pointer from the top of the key with 2:11 left in the third quarter to give the Mercury their first lead, 58-57, since it was 14-13 in the opening frame. Sabally added two free throws to cap Phoenix's 23-7 run. Advertisement Los Angeles guard Kelsey Plum forced a jump ball with 1:06 left in the fourth and the Sparks took possession. Los Angeles had three chances at the other end, trailing 80-78, but Plum missed a 3-pointer and a free-throw line jumper before turning it over on a drive into the lane. Laksa made two free throws for Phoenix with 18.9 left and Westbeld added two at 9.9 for an 84-80 lead. Sami Whitcomb made three of Phoenix's 12 3-pointers and finished with 11 points. Monique Akoa Makani had 10 points and six assists for the Mercury (5-2). Odyssey Sims led Los Angeles (2-6) with 32 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Plum was 4 of 19 from the field for 15 points, and Dearica Hamby had 15 points and eight boards. Advertisement Los Angeles, which led 47-29 with 2:54 left before halftime, went 8 of 20 from 3-point range in the first half before missing all 15 attempts after the break. Up next Phoenix continues its road trip at Minnesota on Tuesday. Los Angeles is off until Friday when it plays at Dallas. ___ AP WNBA:
