Mercury a win away from eliminating Liberty after embarrassing defending champs in Recreation 2

[ad_1] The defending champions are getting ready to elimination.

It appeared that approach on Sunday when Alyssa Thomas rose up for a layup, however surprisingly smoked the try and gave the Liberty life.

However this time, it was Thomas and her Mercury squad taking good care of enterprise on Wednesday night time with a 86-60 Recreation 2 win at Barclays Middle.

The sequence now shifts again to Phoenix for a decisive Recreation 3 to determine who will doubtless face the No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx in a second-round best-of-five sequence.

And if the Liberty proceed taking part in like they did on Wednesday night time, Friday’s Recreation 3 would be the final time they will name themselves defending champions.

The Liberty’s highly-touted five-out offense seemed as dangerous because it ever seemed all season.

Not even one Liberty starter managed to attain in double figures in 40 minutes of motion. Emma Meesseman scored a team-high 11 factors in 18 minutes off the bench.

On the opposite finish, 4 Mercury gamers — Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally, Kahleah Copper and DeWanna Bonner scored a minimum of 14 factors.

There was an excessive amount of dribbling on the perimeter by Natasha Cloud and Sabrina Ionescu. The Liberty struggled to get by level of assault stress — principally utilized by Copper, Monique Akoa Makani — all night time.

The house staff managed to complete the primary quarter tied, 25-25. However, Sandy Brondello’s staff fell aside within the second.

The Mercury’s first three baskets of the quarter — all scored by Sabally — had been on Breanna Stewart or with the injured ahead in screen-and-roll motion.

It’s a very rational technique to gauge how properly the elite defender can get near that degree whereas coping with a sprained MCL.

After a timeout, Kennedy Burke defended Sabally whereas Stewart stayed on Bonner, but it surely solely lasted a possession as Stewart headed to the bench.

Phoenix continued that surge, which resulted in a 16-5 run halfway via the second.

The Liberty did not create offense and people misfires received the Mercury getting into transition. And at no juncture did the staff make repeated intentional efforts to lean on the engine of the staff — Jonquel Jones.

The 6-6 machine spent too many positions floating on the perimeter and in pick-and-roll actions that didn’t create alternatives for her. Tibbetts deserves credit score for his recreation plan, however this actual concern has plagued the Liberty for numerous stretches for the reason that All-Star arrived in Brooklyn again in 2023.

Whereas the Liberty turned in too many meaningless possessions, the Mercury turned the Barclays Middle hardwood right into a monitor meet.

On one possession, Bonner cruised in for a straightforward layup. Then 20 seconds later, Thomas introduced the ball up the court docket, paced down the center of the paint untouched and transformed on the simplest basket of the night time.

The protection was so egregious Brondello was pressured to name timeout. The deficit grew to as many as 19 factors in that interval. It ballooned to 31 throughout a meaningless second half.

And the one draw back for Tibbetts’ squad was Sabally’s technical foul for shouting at an official.

The third quarter featured the identical points because the Liberty misplaced, 18-10, within the interval.

Wednesday’s matchup was over earlier than the fourth quarter started.

The one resolution left to make was to drag Stewart off the ground so she might start resting for a do-or-die Recreation 3.

Rightfully so, Brondello started the fourth with Cloud and 4 reserves.

The sequence is now knotted at 1-1. The loser will pack their baggage and put together for an extended winter.

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Mercury a win away from eliminating Liberty after embarrassing defending champs in Recreation 2

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