The Phoenix Mercury claimed the fourth and final spot in the semifinals of the 2025 WNBA playoffs with a dramatic 79-73 win over the reigning champion New York Liberty in the winner-take-all Game 3 of their first-round series. The Mercury will now face the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx.
Early on, it was all Mercury, as they outworked the Liberty on both ends of the floor and built a double-digit lead thanks in large part to their offensive rebounding and ability to get to the free throw line. They didn’t make quite enough shots, however, and Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu eventually got hot in the second quarter to drag her team back into the game.
The second half was the type of hard-fought, back-and-forth contest you would expect from a game of this magnitude. Late in the fourth, the Mercury built an eight-point lead and seemed to be on the verge of pulling away, but Breanna Stewart would not give up.
Stewart brought the Liberty back within three on multiple occasions, but the Mercury came up with two answers from DeWanna Bonner and Kahleah Copper, whose incredible off-balance shots in the final 90 seconds proved to be the difference.
Alyssa Thomas recorded another triple-double — her fifth in the playoffs — with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, while Satou Sabally added 23 points and 12 rebounds for Phoenix. Sami Whitcomb also chipped in a huge 13 points off the bench, outscoring the Liberty’s reserves by herself.
Stewart, playing on a sprained MCL, delivered a valiant effort. She scored 30 points, including all 14 of the Liberty’s fourth-quarter points, but did not get enough help. Ionescu was the only other player in double figures with 22 points. Jonquel Jones, the 2024 Finals MVP, had three points on 1 of 10 shooting and the Liberty were 7 of 32 from 3-point range.
