Phoenix Competes, Gets Swept By Eastern Conference Contender

The Phoenix Mercury lost to the New York Liberty in 2015, but they did put up a fight.

Jul 25, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner (14) gestures after making a three-point shot in the second quarter against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The 2015 Phoenix Mercury's series with the Washington Mystics ended in a tie, but the Mercury lost their series against another Eastern Conference team. The New York Liberty beat them 2-0, and Phoenix was on the road for the first game.

Sep 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner (14) complains about a foul call against the Washington Mystics during the first quarter at CareFirst Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

New York beat Phoenix by 11 in that game, and DeWanna Bonner was her team's leading scorer. She had 22 points, and she also had six rebounds and three assists. Outside of their veteran, the Mercury had two other players who scored in double figures.

Future Mercury players lead the Liberty to victory

Candice Dupree had 12 points in that game, and Monique Currie had 11. On the other side, Tina Charles was New York's leading scorer, and she had 19 points. The All-Star center also had 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. The Liberty had one other player who scored in double figures, as Essence Carson had 10 points, four rebounds and three assists. Both players joined the Mercury at different periods, as Carson played for them in 2019, and Charles played in 2022.

Apr 21, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury center Tina Charles shares a laugh with her teammates at Verizon 5G Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Cheryl Evans/The Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK | The Republic-USA TODAY NETWORK

New York took a 1-0 lead, and when the series moved to Phoenix, the Liberty picked up another impressive win. They beat the Mercury 75-73, which means these teams fought all the way to the end. Charles was the leading scorer again, and she had 18 points. Then, the Liberty had three more players who scored at least 10 points, and Epiphanny Prince had 17.

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) fights for a rebound between New York Liberty forwards Breanna Stewart (30) and Jonquel Jones (35) during the third quarter at Footprint Center on Aug. 26, 2024, in Phoenix. | Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Prince played a major role in New York's win, as she made a late basket and free throws. Then, Brittany Boyd-Jones and Sugar Rodgers had 13 points and 10 points, respectively. For the Mercury, Brittney Griner was the top scorer, and she had 15 points. The center also had eight rebounds, seven blocks and four assists. Then, Bonner finished the game with 10 points, four assists and two rebounds.

The Mercury came up short in this series, but not all hope was lost. They still had a good year despite those losses, and both teams made the playoffs. New York finished the season with a record of 23-11, and Charles and her teammates were first in the Eastern Conference. They beat the Mystics, but they lost to the Indiana Fever in the second round.

Phoenix's top players tried to win the series, but at the end of the day, it is hard to win them all.

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