PHOENIX — The Phoenix Mercury are heating up at the right moment as the WNBA regular season winds down.
The Mercury (26-14) defeated the Indiana Fever (21-20) 85-79 at PHX Arena on Tuesday, Sept. 2 to record their fifth consecutive victory, marking Phoenix’s second longest winning streak of the season. It was a team effort for the Mercury, who move to 13-0 on the season when five or more players score 10 or more points.
Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas finished with a team-high 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the win, finishing only one rebound and one assist short of her eighth triple-double of the season. Dewanna Bonner had 19 points off the bench, while Satou Sabally added 13 points.
Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell had 25 points, four assists and four steals in the losing effort. Lexie Hull added 15 points and five rebounds, while Aliyah Boston recorded 11 points and eight rebounds.
The Minnesota Lynx (No. 1 overall seed), Las Vegas Aces, Atlanta Dream and Mercury have all claimed playoff spots. The Fever are among five teams vying for the final four playoff berths with three games remaining in the season.
USA TODAY Sports had full coverage of the game between the Mercury and the Fever. Scroll below for highlights:
WNBA PLAYOFF PICTURE: Who clinched a postseason berth? Who’s in, Who’s out?
End of Q3: Mercury 67, Fever 57
The Fever came out the gate on a 6-0 run to cut the Mercury’s lead to single digits, but Phoenix was able to extend its lead again as the Mercury take a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter.
Alyssa Thomas has a team-high 17 points for the Mercury and is two rebounds and two assists away from her eight triple-double of the season. Dewanna Bonner added 13 points off the bench. The Mercury are collectively shooting 50% from the field and 35.3% from three.
Mercury guard Kahleah Copper appeared to go down with a right foot injury with 4:38 remaining in the third quarter. She attempted to play on but couldn’t put pressure on her foot. Copper limped over to the Mercury’s bench after a timeout was called and didn’t return in the quarter. Copper exited with nine points and three rebounds. (She returned in the fourth quarter.)
Kelsey Mitchell leads the Fever with 22 points, three assists and three steals. Lexie Hull added 12 points and four rebounds, while Aliyah Boston recorded 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists. The Fever’s bench, however, has only contributed four points.
Halftime: Mercury 54, Fever 39
Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani pounded her chest as the crowd at PHX Arena went wild after she knocked down a 3-point shot to extend Phoenix’s lead to 15 points. The Mercury closed the second quarter on a 10-0 run and outscored the Fever 29-16.
Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas is already on triple-double watch. Thomas has recorded 14 points, six rebounds and seven assists through the first half. She has a record-setting seven triple-doubles on the season. The Mercury also got a huge lift off the bench from Dewanna Bonner. Bonner, who started the season with the Fever before joining the Mercury in July, is up to 11 points. The Mercury have the third-highest scoring bench in the league, averaging 24.8 points per game.
The Fever have conceded 12 points on six turnovers so far. Mitchell was held scoreless in the second quarter after dropping 15 first-quarter points. Aliyah Boston struggled to find her shot and started the game off 0-for-4 before finding net for the first time with 6:30 remaining in the second quarter. She’s up to eight points and four assists. Lexie Hull added 10 points.
Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker in the building
The star-studded crowd at PHX Arena includes several Phoenix Suns players. Devin Booker, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks were seated courtside for Tuesday’s matchup.
End of Q1: Mercury 25, Fever 23
Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell knocked down a 25-foot 3-pointer with 26.6 seconds remaining in the first quarter to give the Fever a one-point lead. Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb answered right back with a three of her own to put Phoenix back up, 25-23.
Mitchell came out red-hot in the first quarter and scored 15 of the Fever’s 23 points, shooting 5-of-6 from the field and 3-of-4 from the 3-point line. Despite Mitchell’s first-quarter performance, the Fever find themselves down by two points heading into the second quarter.
Kahleah Copper has a team-high nine points for the Mercury, while Alyssa Thomas, the Western Conference Player of the Week, has eight points, four assists and three rebounds.
What time is Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury?
The Phoenix Mercury host the Indiana Fever at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) on Tuesday, Sept. 2, at the PHX Arena in Phoenix. The game will be broadcast nationally on NBA TV.
Phoenix Mercury starting lineup
Indiana Fever starting lineup
Fever injury report: Is Caitlin Clark playing?
Clark was ruled out of the Fever’s road matchup against the Mercury on Tuesday, marking her 19th consecutive absence with a right groin injury suffered on July 15. There’s no timetable for her return to the lineup.
Fever forward Chloe Bibby (left knee) will also be sidelined on Tuesday, in addition to guards Aari McDonald (broken right foot), Sydney Colson (left ACL tear) and Sophie Cunningham (right MCL tear), who all suffered season-ending injuries in August.
How to watch Indiana Fever vs. Phoenix Mercury: TV, stream
- Time: 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT)
- Location: PHX Arena (Phoenix)
- TV channel: NBA TV
- Streaming: Fubo (free trial to new subscribers)
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