How Phoenix's Guards Won Another Championship

The Phoenix Mercury won it all in 2009, and players like Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter led them to victory.

Sep 21, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) runs on the court against the Los Angeles Sparks at US Airways Center. The Sparks defeated the Mercury 82-73. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images / Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury won their second championship in 2009, and it was a great way to bounce back. The Mercury missed the playoffs in 2008, which was a year after they won their first title.

Phoenix missed out on a chance to repeat, but the Detroit Shock won their third championship as they beat the San Antonio Silver Stars.

The Mercury finished the 2009 season with a record of 23-11. That was the same as their 2007 record, but this time around, they had a different coach.

Dec 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek (left) alongside assistant coach Corey Gaines against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Cavaliers defeated the Suns 101-97. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Paul Westhead was Phoenix's coach in 2007, and after the team won, Westhead resigned and returned to the NBA. He was a part of the Seattle SuperSonics staff, and after that, he coached Oregon.

Corey Gaines became the Mercury's head coach, and while they missed the playoffs in his first season, they recovered in 2009.

The Mercury went on an impressive run, and they beat the San Antonio Silver Stars in the first round. They beat the Silver Stars 2-1, and they kept the momentum going with a win over the Los Angeles Sparks.

Once the Mercury beat those teams, they faced the Indiana Fever. They beat the Fever 3-2, and the first game went into overtime.

Overall, the Mercury had a strong run, and some of their top players contributed to that.

Sep 25, 2011; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) talks with head coach Corey Gaines (right) on the court while playing against the Minnesota Lynx at the US Airways Center. The Lynx defeated the Mercury 103-86. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images / Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

Diana Taurasi was the leading scorer, and she averaged 22.3 points. Cappie Pondexter and Penny Taylor did their share of scoring, as Pondexter averaged 18.2 points and Taylor averaged 14.3.

Mercury guard grabs boards

Despite being a guard, Taurasi was a solid rebounder. She proved it during that playoff run, as she was the team's leader in that area. She averaged 5.9 rebounds, and Tangela Smith was close behind. Smith averaged 5.8 boards, and excluding her and Taurasi, the Mercury had seven players who averaged at least a rebound.

The Mercury's trio did an excellent job facilitating-wise, and Taurasi was the leader. She averaged 3.8 assists, Pondexter averaged 3.5 and Taylor averaged 3.4. Then, Temeka Johnson averaged 3.1 assists and Ketia Swanier averaged 1.4.

Sep 5, 2010; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Seattle Storm forward Jana Vesela (left) handles the ball against Phoenix Mercury forward Tangela Smith (50) during the second half in game two of the western conference finals in the 2010 WNBA Playoffs at US Airways Center. The Storm defeated the Mercury 91-88. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images / Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

Then, when it came to the defensive end, Smith was the team's leader in steals and Taurasi led in blocks. Smith averaged 1.4 steals and Taurasi averaged 1.3.

Phoenix had a great year, and the play of Taurasi and her teammates put the team over the top.

Please follow us on X to read more about Phoenix's second championship and who led the way when you click right here!

feed