Mercury Continue Playoff Streak, Suns Miss Out

The Phoenix Mercury played well in 2017, and their NBA counterparts were a different story.

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) makes a shot while guarded by Minnesota Lynx forward Asjha Jones (15) at the U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix, AZ, on Friday, August 7, 2015. The Mercury defeated the Lynx 73-66. Phoenix Mercury, Brittney Griner / Isaac Hale/The Republic via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The 2017 Phoenix Mercury finished the season with a record of 18-16, and they made the playoffs for the fifth time in a row.

Phoenix faced the Seattle Storm, the Connecticut Sun and the Los Angeles Sparks during its postseason run, and after beating the Storm and the Sun, the Mercury lost to the Sparks.

Jun 27, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) sits on the bench in the first quarter against the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images / Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Griner gets going during playoff run

The first two matchups were single-elimination games, and Brittney Griner played a role in her team's success. She had 23 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in the first game, and the Mercury beat the Storm 79-69.

Griner had 26 points, nine rebounds and a block against the Sun. Alyssa Thomas, who would join the Mercury years later, had 20 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and an assist for Connecticut.

Then, after getting those wins, the Mercury did not win a game against the Sparks. Los Angeles picked up a 79-66 win in the first game, and the Sparks beat the Mercury 86-72 in the second. Los Angeles beat Phoenix 89-87 in the third, and the Sparks faced the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA Finals. The Lynx came out on top, and they won their fourth championship.

Aug. 21, 2018; Tempe, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner puts up a shot over Dallas Wings guard Allisha Gray (15) in the first half during round one of the WNBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK / The Arizona Republic-USA TODAY N

Phoenix started that season with a loss to the Dallas Wings. The Wings beat the Mercury 68-58, and their star center was the leader. Griner had 18 points, two rebounds, two blocks and an assist. The Mercury had another player who scored in double figures, as Camille Little had 11.

The Mercury recovered from that loss, as they beat the Indiana Fever and the San Antonio Stars. Griner was on a mission, and she was Phoenix's leading scorer in those outings as well.

Griner and her teammates played well, and they kept their playoff streak alive. Later that year, the Phoenix Suns began their season, and they were still trying to find their rhythm. They finished the season with a record of 21-61, and they were 15th in the Western Conference.

Mar 8, 2020; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury player Diana Taurasi (left) and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker against the Milwaukee Bucks at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Devin Booker continued to help the team, as he averaged 24.9 points, 4.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds. Then, the Suns had six other players who averaged 10 or more points.

The Suns had to wait a bit longer before they reached the playoffs, but they were rebuilding and getting the pieces they needed.

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