Mercury eliminated from playoff contention, Thomas makes WNBA history

The Phoenix Mercury’s push for a return to the WNBA playoffs came to an end Saturday night.

Despite a furious second-half comeback attempt, the Mercury fell 99-89 to the Atlanta Dream at Mortgage Matchup Center, officially eliminating Phoenix from playoff contention. The loss dropped the Mercury to 13-24 with three games remaining in the regular season.

The Mercury, who reached the WNBA Finals last season, will miss the postseason for the first time since 2023.

Phoenix struggled to find its rhythm early as Atlanta jumped out to a 14-6 lead midway through the opening quarter. The Dream’s defensive pressure forced the Mercury into difficult shots as Atlanta closed the period with an 11-point advantage, 29-18.

Phoenix began chipping away at the deficit in the second quarter, using a smaller lineup and taking advantage of Atlanta turnovers. The Mercury cut the lead to nine points with less than five minutes remaining in the half, but the Dream responded defensively and pushed its advantage back to double digits.

Atlanta entered halftime leading 48-35.

The Mercury came out with renewed energy after the break. Although the Dream continued to disrupt Phoenix offensively, the Mercury found its rhythm and steadily worked its way back into the game.

Phoenix closed the gap to two points late in the third quarter behind a dominant scoring performance from Kahleah Copper. Copper finished with a game-high 38 points, accounting for nearly half of Phoenix’s 89 points.

The Mercury entered the fourth quarter trailing 73-68, but Atlanta regained control on both ends of the floor and outscored Phoenix 26-21 in the final period to secure the 10-point victory.

Angel Reese led the Dream with a career-high 31 points and 14 rebounds, recording her 25th double-double of the season. Rhyne Howard added 20 points, while Allisha Gray had 17 . The victory also clinched a playoff berth for Atlanta.

Alyssa Thomas recorded her 22nd regular-season triple-double with 11 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists.

A Season That Fell Short

For Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts, the elimination marked a moment to begin evaluating what went wrong during a season that failed to meet expectations.

“I haven’t had time to reflect from last season to this one,” Tibbetts said, noting that the offseason will provide an opportunity for a deeper evaluation.

Tibbetts pointed to Phoenix’s inability to close out tight games, injuries and a step back defensively as some of the factors that contributed to the team’s struggles.

The immediate priority, he said, is getting healthy and finishing the season.

“We have to keep playing,” Tibbetts said.

That includes getting Kelsey Plum back on the court. Plum missed her third consecutive game Saturday because of a lower left leg injury.

Plum joined the Mercury in a blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Sparks on Aug. 2 and made her Phoenix debut Aug. 3 against the Chicago Sky, scoring 20 points in 20 minutes. 

She also hit the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final seconds, becoming the second player in WNBA history to make a game-winning field goal in the final minute of a team debut.

Thomas, Copper Face First Missed Playoff Run in Seven Seasons

The loss also marked an unfamiliar position for two of Phoenix’s veteran stars.

Thomas and Copper will miss the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons.

“It’s disappointing. It’s not what was anticipated in the season,” Thomas said.

With the postseason no longer within reach, Thomas said the focus shifts toward finishing the season strong while eventually evaluating what could have been done differently.

“We have to look at the season as a whole,” she said.

Thomas also pointed to effort and defense as areas directly within the team’s control.

“We didn’t come out the way we needed to,” Thomas said of Saturday’s loss. “The Dream is a great team. They’re hard to slow down.”

Thomas Makes WNBA History

Alyssa Thomas continued to add to her historic résumé Saturday.

The Mercury forward became the first player in WNBA history to record more than 5,000 points, 3,000 rebounds and 2,000 assists.

Tibbetts praised Thomas’ all-around impact and her ability to continue raising the level of her game.

“She does a lot of great things,” Tibbetts said, calling Thomas a Hall of Fame player.

Rock the Pink Night

Saturday’s game also featured the Mercury’s annual Rock the Pink Night, an initiative dedicated to raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research and health programs.

The Mercury are hosting a 2026 Rock the Pink online auction benefiting the American Cancer Society. 

Fans can participate through the Mercury’s official Rock the Pink online auction.

What’s Next

The Mercury will close out the regular season with seven games remaining, beginning Tuesday against the Washington Mystics.

NEXT UP:

🆚 Washington Mystics
📅 Tuesday, Aug. 25
⏰ 7 p.m.
📍 Mortgage Matchup Center

The playoffs may be out of reach, but Phoenix still has an opportunity to finish the season on a stronger note — and begin building toward what comes next. ♦︎