Why The Mercury Made The Playoffs Without Taurasi

The Phoenix Mercury made the playoffs in 2019, and with Diana Taurasi out, someone had to step up.

May 20, 2019; Phoenix, AZ, USA; WNBA MVP candidate and All-Star player Brittney Griner during media day before she enters her eighth season with Phoenix Mercury. Mandatory Credit: Nick Oza/The Republic-USA TODAY NETWORK / The Arizona Republic-USA TODAY NETWORK

The 2019 season was an interesting year for the Phoenix Mercury, as they finished that period with a record of 15-19.

They lost their last four games, but they still made it to the playoffs. They were knocked out early, as the Chicago Sky beat them in a blowout.

Phoenix played most of that season without Diana Taurasi, and she was out due to injuries. She missed the start of the season due to a back injury, and she dealt with a hamstring issue later on. She played six games that season, and she started in all of them.

With the star being out, the Mercury needed another scorer. Luckily, they had talented players who could fill the void.

Sep 7, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (left) and guard DeWanna Bonner against the Chicago Sky during game one of the WNBA Finals at US Airways Center. The Mercury defeated the Sky 83-62. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

When it came to scoring, Brittney Griner was the leader. She scored 642 that season, and her best game was a 34-point game against the Sky. She also had seven rebounds, two assists and a block. DeWanna Bonner had a nice game, and she had 18 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block. Taurasi was in action, and she had 12 points.

Phoenix's second-leading scorer was Bonner, and she had 585 points. She had her season high against the Seattle Storm, as she finished that game with 31 points. She also had eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. The Mercury had another player who scored in double figures, as Griner had 18 points.

Jun 27, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen (13) passes in the third quarter against the Phoenix Mercury guard Leilani Mitchell (5) at Target Center. The Minnesota Lynx beat the Phoenix Mercury 71-56. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images / Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Mercury's award-winning guard has another big year

Leilani Mitchell was third in scoring, and she had 410 points. Mitchell had a big 2019 season, and she averaged a career-high 12.8 points, four assists and three rebounds. She won Most Improved Player for the second time, and the first time she did it happened in 2010.

Mitchell's best game during that season was a 29-point against the Liberty. That was her career high, and she also had three rebounds and two assists. Griner also had 29 points, and she had 14 rebounds, three blocks and two assists. Then, Brianna Turner had 10 points.

Jun 8, 2018; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Yvonne Turner jumps for a basket during the first half against the Chicago Sky at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brian Munoz-The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK / Brian Munoz-USA TODAY NETWORK

Briann January was fourth in scoring, and Yvonne Turner was fifth. January's season high was against the Washington Mystics, and she had 18 points. Turner's top performance was a 22-point game against Washington. That was her career high, and the Mercury won that game.

Phoenix had four more players who scored at least 100 points, as Essence Carson scored 133, Brianna Turner had a total of 117 points, Camille Smith finished the season with 112 points and Sophie Cunningham had 100.

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