Thomas has a triple-double as the Mercury eliminate the defending WNBA
champion Liberty 79-73
[September 20, 2025]
PHOENIX (AP) — Alyssa Thomas had a 20 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists
in her fifth career playoff triple-double, and the Phoenix Mercury
advanced to the second round of the WNBA playoffs by eliminating the
defending champion New York Liberty 79-73 in Game 3 on Friday night.
Satou Sabally added 23 points and 12 rebounds for the fourth-seeded
Mercury, who play at top-seeded Minnesota on Sunday to start the
best-of-five semifinal round. |
Phoenix Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani (8) drives past New York
Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) during the first half of Game 3 in
the first round of the WNBA basketball playoffs, Friday, Sept. 19, 2025,
in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) |
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Thomas has five of the seven WNBA playoff triple-doubles.
Sami Whitcomb scored 13 points and Kahleah Copper had 12 points
and nine rebounds for the Mercury, who had a 49-33 advantage on
the boards. DeWanna Bonner had eight rebounds to pass Candace
Parker for the most boards in playoff history with 614.
Breanna Stewart, five days after spraining the MCL in her left
knee in overtime of a Game 1 win, scored 30 points, including
the last 14 in the fourth quarter for the Liberty. Sabrina
Ionescu added 22 but the rest of the Liberty struggled.
There were five ties and 13 lead changes through three quarters,
which ended with Phoenix on top 60-59, but New York never led in
the fourth.
Stewart's three-point play had the Liberty within 65-64 with
6:51 to play. But Thomas had a basket, two assists and a rebound
to get her ninth triple-double of this season, as the Mercury
surged ahead 72-64 with 5:36 to play.
Stewart made two free throws — she was 12 of 15 from the line —
to make it 76-73 with 1:10 to play. The Liberty had a turnover
and three misses in the last minute and finished 7 of 32 from
3-point range, including 1 for 17 in the second half.
The Mercury led by 12 in the second quarter but with Ionescu
scoring 12 points the Liberty cut it to 45-41 at halftime.
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