Mercury Go 1-1 In Back-To-Back Games

The Phoenix Mercury had a busy weekend, and they ended up beating the Golden State Valkyries after losing to the Las Vegas Aces.

Aug 22, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Golden State Valkyries center Temi Fagbenle (14) drives on Golden State Valkyries guard Kaila Charles (6) in the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury defeated the Golden State Valkyries on Friday, as they beat them 81-72. Monique Akoa Makani led the team with 18 points, as she knocked down four 3-pointers.

Akoa Makani and the Mercury looked good in this game, and they have five players in double figures. DeWanna Bonner had 14 points off the bench, and she had six rebounds and two assists as well. Alyssa Thomas had a spectacular game, as she had her sixth triple-double of the season.

Thomas finished the game with 13 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds. She set a Mercury franchise record for most assists in a single game.

Then, the Mercury had contributions from Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper as well, as both players finished with 12 points. Sabally also had five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Copper had four rebounds, three steals and an assist.

Games like this show how deep the Mercury roster is, and it shows that they can win a championship. On the other hand, they have games like their loss to the Las Vegas Aces.

Aug 21, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts looks on against the Las Vegas Aces in the first quarter of their game at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

The night before their win over Golden State, the Aces beat the Mercury 83-61. That was a rough game for Phoenix, and the only players that stood out in that game was Thomas and Sabally.

Thomas had 17 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in that game, and Sabally had 15 points, three rebounds and two assists.

Mercury heat up

In that game, the Mercury shot poorly from 3-point range. Phoenix shot nearly 19 percent from deep against the Aces. However, in the win over Golden State, they were hot from beyond the arc. They shot around 44 percent.

The Mercury made 14 3-pointers against Golden State, and Akoa Makani made four. Bonner had four as well, while players like Copper and Sami Whitcomb knocked down their share.

Back-to-back can be a challenge, and this period shows that. The Mercury did not play well against the Aces, who have now won 10 games, but they were great against the Valkyries. Phoenix looked like a different team in the second game of their back-to-back, and they improved to 22-14.

After their back-to-back game, the Mercury get a little time to rest, as they face the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday. With them being rested and refreshed, the Mercury can pick up another good win.

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