Bronx, NY — With their season on the line, the Phoenix Mercury delivered a commanding response in Game 2 of the first-round playoff series, dismantling the New York Liberty 86-60 on Wednesday night to force a winner-takes-all Game 3.
After struggling in Game 1, Satou Sabally led the charge with 15 points, matching teammate Alyssa Thomas’ output. Sabally’s turnaround was especially impressive after a dismal 2-for-17 shooting performance in the series opener. Confident in her bounce-back, she proved herself right under the bright lights of New York.
Kahleah Copper and DeWanna Bonner each added 14 points, helping Phoenix flip the script from Sunday’s narrow 75-69 loss.
New York entered the game on an emotional high with Breanna Stewart unexpectedly cleared to play after spraining her MCL in overtime of Game 1. But the Liberty star wasn’t her usual self, contributing just six points in 20 minutes, and the momentum quickly shifted away from the home team.
Phoenix set the tone early and never let up. After building a 14-point cushion at the break, the Mercury opened the third quarter with a 6-0 run to stretch their lead to 20. Defensively, they were suffocating—holding New York without a field goal for nearly the entire third quarter. The Liberty missed their first 12 shots of the period before Emma Meesseman finally got one to fall with 1:35 left.
Meesseman led New York with 11 points, but the Liberty’s starting lineup struggled mightily, combining for just 32 points on a night where nothing came easy.
The pivotal stretch came late in the second quarter. With a slim 36-30 advantage, the Mercury launched a 13-0 run, extending their lead to 49-30. The Liberty managed a late three from Natasha Cloud in the final seconds of the half to cut the margin to 51-37 and briefly ignite the sold-out crowd at Barclays Center—a crowd that included celebrities like Spike Lee, Tracee Ellis Ross, and WNBA icon Sue Bird.
But even with star power in the stands, the Liberty couldn’t generate enough offense. Free throw shooting was an unexpected issue, with Sabrina Ionescu—normally automatic from the line at 93%—missing her first four attempts before finally connecting.
Now, with the series tied at 1-1, both teams head to Phoenix for a decisive Game 3 showdown on Friday night. The pressure is on, and the Mercury are riding high.
