How Diana Taurasi Helped Phoenix Reach The Finals

Diana Taurasi missed the start of the 2021 playoffs, but she returned and helped them win an important game.

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) smiles in an interview Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, before the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. / Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Phoenix Mercury had an excellent 2021 season, as they finished that period with a record of 19-13. While that is a good record, that was not the best in the league. It was also not the best in the Western Conference. There were teams ahead of the Mercury, and some of them looked like legitimate contenders who could win it all come playoff time. However, Phoenix had other plans.

The Mercury had a great playoff run, and it led to them making the WNBA Finals for the fifth time in history. They faced the Chicago Sky, and the Sky came out victorious. They beat the Mercury 3-1, and they won their first championship in history.

Olympic gold medalists, guard, and five-time gold medalist, Diana Taurasi (3) and center Brittney Griner (42) during the first post-Olympic game at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Aug. 15, 2021. Cent02 7h4697ldxyd1fr4qb837 Original / Benjamin Chambers via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Despite the loss, the Mercury exceeded expectations and they added to their legacy. They played well, and one of the players who stood out was Diana Taurasi.

Phoenix's star guard averaged 15.2 points, 4.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds. There were two players who averaged more points than her, as Brittney Griner averaged 20.5 points. Skylar Diggins was behind her, and she averaged 17.7.

Both Griner and Diggins played at least 30 games, while Taurasi played 16. She missed time due to a chest injury, and later on, she dealt with an ankle injury.

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) breaks the huddle to start the fourth quarter against the New York Liberty at Footprint Center on Aug. 26, 2024, in Phoenix. / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Taurasi had some setbacks that year, but she managed to score a total of 243 points during the regular season. She had a solid playoff run, and she scored 176 points in what was a big year for her team. She played 10 games during that run, and she averaged 17.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists. This would be her second-to-last playoff appearance, as she did not play in the Mercury's 2022 series against the Las Vegas Aces. Then, the Mercury missed the playoffs in 2023, but returned to the postseason in 2024.

Mercury start playoff journey without star guard

Phoenix had a good run, and they started it without Taurasi. The Mercury beat the New York Liberty in a single-elimination game, and Diggins was the star. She had 22 points, five assists, four rebounds and a block.

Sep 17, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) and guard Sophie Cunningham (9) celebrate against the LA Sparks in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Sophie Cunningham had 21 points off the bench, while Griner had 16 and Brianna Turner had 12. Taurasi was in action for the Mercury's next game, and she helped them beat the Seattle Storm in overtime.

Taurasi and her team were on a mission, and in the end, they came close to winning another championship.

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