Mercury's Pondexter Has Legendary Finals Run

The Phoenix Mercury made the WNBA Finals this season, and after A'ja Wilson had a big series, a Mercury legend's run was brought up.

June 3, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; New York Liberty guard Cappie Pondexter (23) shoots the ball during the first half of their game against the Indiana Fever at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images / Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

The WNBA Finals flew by, and the Phoenix Mercury were involved. They faced the Las Vegas Aces in that series, and both teams were looking to win another championship. Las Vegas swept Phoenix, and it led to the franchise's third championship.

The Aces were led by their star A'ja Wilson, who ended up winning her fourth Most Valuable Player (MVP) and her performance in the Finals led to history. She scored 114 points in the series against the Mercury, which is the most points scored in Finals history.

July 20, 2010; Uncasville, CT, USA; New York Liberty guard Cappie Pondexter (23) walks up court with Connecticut Sun guard Renee Montgomery (21) behind during the first half at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Before Wilson, that record belonged to a Mercury legend. Cappie Pondexter scored 110 points in the Mercury's 2007 Finals run. Phoenix won the championship that year, which was the team's first in franchise history.

In that playoff run, the Mercury beat the Seattle Storm and the San Antonio Silver Stars before facing the Detroit Shock. They beat the Shock 3-2, as Phoenix picked up wins in Game 2, Game 4 and the final game.

Pondexter makes history, helps Mercury win

Overall, Pondexter had a total of 215 during the team's playoff run. Her performance in the Finals was spectacular, and it led to her becoming the first Mercury player to win Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). She averaged 23.9 points, 5.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals in the Mercury's postseason run, and in the Finals, she averaged 22.0 points and 5.6 assists.

July 20, 2010; Uncasville, CT, USA; New York Liberty guard Cappie Pondexter (23) drives the ball around Connecticut Sun guard Renee Montgomery (21) during the second half at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Liberty defeated the Sun 82-74. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Pondexter's best performance in the Finals was in a 27-point game. She also had five assists, four rebounds and a steal. Penny Taylor also had a big performance in that game, as she had 32 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Both players got off to great starts, but the Shock came away with the win as they beat the Mercury 108-100.

The Mercury's legendary guard was a great scorer, and in her time with the team, she continued to put up big numbers. In her 2009 season, she averaged 19.1 points, five assists and 4.2 rebounds. As far as the playoffs, she averaged 18.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals. She played a role in the team's second championship win, and that was her last year with the team. So, her time with the team ended on a nice note.

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's Finals record lasted for years, and while Wilson passed her, the Mercury legend's run will be talked about for years.

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