Phoenix Wins It All, Meets Players With Mercury Ties

The Phoenix Mercury won it all in 2014, and they faced a team with a few familiar faces.

Sep 12, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (right) is presented with the MVP trophy after game three of the 2014 WNBA Finals against the Chicago Sky at UIC Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-Imagn Images | Jerry Lai-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Mercury's 2014 season has been discussed in the past, and it will be talked about for years to come. They made history that year, as they finished that season with a record of 29-5.

Phoenix went on an incredible 16-game winning streak, and that helped the franchise become No. 1 in the league standings. The Minnesota Lynx had a great season of their own, as they finished the season with a record of 25-9. Like the Mercury, the Lynx were legitimate contenders, and it was only a matter of time before these teams clashed in the playoffs.

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) touches the 2014 WNBA Championship trophy on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024 at Footprint Center in Phoenix. | Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Mercury started their playoff journey with a series against the Los Angeles Sparks. They swept the Sparks, and they faced the Lynx right after that. Phoenix won the series, but Minnesota won the second game.

Once that series wrapped up, the Mercury faced the Chicago Sky in the WNBA Finals. That was the franchise's fourth Finals appearance, and it led to another championship.

Sep 12, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Candice Dupree (4) drives to the basket against Chicago Sky guard/forward Elena Delle Donne (11) during the first quarter in game three of the 2014 WNBA Finals at UIC Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-Imagn Images | Jerry Lai-Imagn Images

Mercury take the first game

Candice Dupree helped the Mercury set the tone in that series, as she had 26 points, six rebounds, two steals and an assist in Game 1. Phoenix had two more players who scored in double figures, as Diana Taurasi had 19 points and Brittney Griner had 12.

Dupree and her teammates swept the Sky, and Taurasi won Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). The Mercury had their third championship, and they beat a talented Chicago team.

Elena Delle Donne was the star, and Sylvia Fowles was there as well. Those two played a big role in the team's success, and Epiphanny Prince also chipped in. Then, there were a few players with Mercury ties on that roster, as Jessica Breland and Allie Quigley played for the Sky.

Sep 7, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Chicago Sky forward Jessica Breland (51) controls the ball against Phoenix Mercury forward Candice Dupree (4) 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

Breland started her career with the New York Liberty, as they acquired her in a trade with the Lynx. Then, she played for the Connecticut Sun, the Indiana Fever, the Sky and the Atlanta Dream.

The Sky forward was a part of the Mercury's 2020 roster, as she was traded to them before the start of the season. However, she was medically excused, and the WNBA held its season in an isolation zone. So, while she did not suit up for them, she is still tied to the franchise.

Quigley started her career with the Mercury, as she played with them in 2008 and 2009. She played 14 games in her first season, and she played six in the second.

The Mercury encountered familiar faces multiple times in the Finals, and the 2014 win was no exception.

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