Tibbetts: Mercury Still Searching For Chemistry

The Mercury have had some growing pains as they've had to adjust to having a full squad, but Sunday night's win against Chicago could be a sign that they're starting to find a rotation that works for them.

Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts directs his team against the Atlanta Dream during the first quarter at PHX Arena Jul 23, 2025. / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury looked like their early-season selves on Sunday night against the Chicago Sky. After a rough stretch that saw their previously elite defense suddenly struggle and their normally potent offense make uncharacteristic errors, the Mercury played strong defense and good, clean offense in what wound up being a comfortable win.

The win could portend progress for the Mercury, who have occasionally looked out of sorts since the lineup returned to full health after the All-Star break. Suddenly, a team that had a clearly-defined style of play had to re-integrate multiple key players -- Satou Sabally, Kahleah Copper, and Lexi Held all missed significant time -- while also incorporating a new signing in DeWanna Bonner.

The center position was also in flux for the first time all season. Kathryn Westbeld had previously been the consistent starter at that spot, but Natasha Mack and Kalani Brown have both gotten recent starts.

"I've been searching, and will continue to search, to try to find what the best matchups are, not only for us, but who we're playing against," said head coach Nate Tibbetts. He added that the team is not only trying to integrate Bonner but "it's Kahleah coming back, it's been Satou coming back. We're just trying to find a rotation that works for us."

Aug 3, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2) drives to the basket against Chicago Sky guard Rebecca Allen (9) during the first half at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

That adjustment period also coincided with a tough road trip, with the team spending 12 days away from Phoenix. The Mercury won just two of their five games on that trip, but faced four teams in playoff position. They closed the trip with that win against Chicago, which kept them from falling more than one spot down the standings, meaning Phoenix can still be in good shape if they play well on their upcoming four-game homestand.

Tibbetts also noted that there's been frustration with the team not playing as well as they normally do, which impacted the team's shooting performance in the first quarter against Chicago, but they were able to get their confidence back up over the course of the game.

He also lauded the team's improved help-side awareness, an area where the team had struggled during the defensive lapse that had hurt them earlier in the road trip. He said the late part of the season has been a unique challenge for players like Monique Akoa Makani, who aren't used to playing year-round, where fatigue can set in as the season wears on. Fortunately, Phoenix has a deep team, which can help them fight through that tiredness.

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