How Phoenix Won An Overtime Game In Shocking Season

The Phoenix Mercury won a championship in 2007, and after that, they missed the playoffs. Despite missing the playoffs, the Mercury picked up some nice wins.

August 28, 2010; San Antonio, TX, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) controls the ball against the San Antonio Silver Stars during the first half at the AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-Imagn Images / Brendan Maloney-Imagn Images

All eyes were on the Phoenix Mercury in 2008. They were fresh off their championship win, as they beat the Detroit Shock 3-2. That victory led to the Mercury winning their first championship, and they would win two more after that. However, their second win came two years later.

The Mercury finished the 2008 season with a record of 16-18. While that is not a bad record, it impacted Phoenix's chances of repeating. The Mercury missed the playoffs after making it for the first time since 2000.

Mercury start season with a losing streak

Phoenix started that season with a loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks picked up a 99-94 win, despite a big game from Cappie Pondexter. The Mercury guard had 32 points, seven assists and three rebounds.

Sep 17, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) shoots the ball against LA Sparks forward Dearica Hamby (5) and forward Azura Stevens (23) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Diana Taurasi had a nice performance, as she had 24 points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals. The Mercury had another player who scored in double figures, as Tangela Smith had 12 points. She also had seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

The Mercury lost the next three games, as they fell to the San Antonio Silver Stars, the Seattle Storm and the Minnesota Lynx.

Phoenix picked up its first win after that, and Taurasi led the way. She had 29 points, and the Mercury beat the Washington Mystics 98-93. The star guard also had four assists, two rebounds and a steal. Pondexter had 23 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals.

Smith nearly had a double-double, as she had 16 points and nine rebounds. Then, Kelly Miller had 11 points, five assists and four rebounds.

Despite the slow start, the Mercury picked up some nice wins during the season. They had to fight for one of them, as they beat the Chicago Sky 112-105 in overtime. Taurasi had another strong performance, as she finished the game with 33 points. She also had 10 rebounds, five assists and four blocks.

Oct 1, 2009; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Cappie Pondexter (23) against the Indiana Fever in the first quarter at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Pondexter was right behind Taurasi, as she had 31 points, five rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Le'coe Willingham had 16 points, seven rebounds, an assist and a steal. Smith had 10 points and eight rebounds.

The Mercury outscored the Sky 17-10 in overtime, and that led to Phoenix winning its only overtime game of the season.

Oct 1, 2009; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) against the Indiana Fever in the first quarter at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

While the Mercury missed the playoffs, things would turn around the following year. Phoenix would win a championship, and the core of Taurasi, Pondexter and others made it happen. The 2008 season was a setback, but as the win over Chicago shows, there were still some bright spots.

Please follow us on X to read more about Phoenix's 2008 season when you click right here!

feed