Mercury Compete With West Rival, Still Lose The Series

The Phoenix Mercury and the Seattle Storm have history, and they had some competitive games in 2016.

Aug 5, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd (24) defends against Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury swept the Washington Mystics during their 2016 season, and they continued to battle East teams throughout the season.

When it came to their matchups against Western Conference rivals, one of the teams that beat them was the Seattle Storm. The Storm won the series 2-1, and the series started with a bang.

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) sticks her tongue out at Seattle Storm guard Victoria Vivians (35) after hitting a three-pointer on Sept. 19, 2024 at Footprint Center in Phoenix. / Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Phoenix hosted Seattle in the first game, and the Storm pulled off a close win. They beat the Mercury 81-80, and Diana Taurasi was the team's leading scorer. She finished the game with 23 points, and she also had six assists, three rebounds, a steal and a block.

Brittney Griner played well, and she had 19 points, six assists and two blocks. Then, Penny Taylor had 15 points, and DeWanna Bonner had 13. The Mercury played well overall, but Jewell Loyd's big night helped the Storm get the win.

Loyd scored 30 points, and she hit a shot with seconds left. The Storm had three more players who scored in double figures, as Sue Bird had 17 points, Breanna Stewart had 14 points and Crystal Langhorne had 11.

Sep 17 2011; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) and teammate forward Penny Taylor (14) react on the court while playing against the Seattle Storm during the first half at the US Airways Center. The Mercury defeated the Storm 92 - 83. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images / Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

The Mercury traveled to Seattle for the next game, and the Storm picked up a 95-81 win. Loyd had another stellar game, as she had 32 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Seattle had three players who scored 14 points, as Bird, Stewart and Jenna O'Hea all contributed.

Sep 5, 2010; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Penny Taylor (13) reacts on the court against the Seattle Storm 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

Taylor was Phoenix's leading scorer, and she had 19 points. She also had five assists, four rebounds and two steals. The Mercury had four more players who scored 10 or more points, as Griner had 13 points, Sonja Petrovic and Isabelle Harrison had 12 points and Candice Dupree had 10 points.

Mercury get a victory

Seattle had a 2-0 lead, and Phoenix had one more chance to get a win. The Mercury beat the Storm 86-62 in the final game, and Griner had 21 points. There were two other players who scored in double figures, as Taurasi had 15 points and Dupree had 14.

That was a significant game for the Mercury, as they not only got a win, but it was also Taylor's last home game. She retired after that season, and she got one last chance to play in front of the home crowd.

Phoenix and Seattle faced each other in the preseason, and those games were competitive. That momentum carried over into the regular season, and while the Mercury lost the series, they still secured a win.

Please follow us on X to read more about the Mercury's 2016 season series against the Seattle Storm when you click right here!

feed