Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. Here’s what’s going on in the WNBA.
The Phoenix Mercury advance to the second round in dramatic fashion.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP.)
It’s Wednesday afternoon as I write this and I am still amazed on what happened. The Phoenix Mercury are going to the second round of the WNBA Playoffs. And they are extremely fortunate. If you’re a WNBA fan, you likely know what happened. But Shey Peddy brought the Mercury to the second round with one stinging corner three that sent her former team, the Washington Mystics, home.
Yes, former team. Because of the Mystics needing players before the Wubble started, they signed Peddy on to the team. As the season went on, the Mystics waived her and the Mercury picked her up.
You can’t make that up.
So the other side has a layer, too. Leilani Mitchell played the game of her life. The two-time Most Improved Player winner scored 25 points against her former team. Yes. She used to play for the Mercury but they didn’t bring her back as Phoenix traded for Skylar Diggins-Smith. But Mitchell wreaked early and often against the Merc. Except the final moments when Mitchell split her two foul shots and the Mystics hung on to an 84-82 lead with 5.8 seconds left.
Diana Taurasi wasn’t going to let the Mercury lose. She’s been there before. After a slow start, Diana scored 18 of her 23 points in the second half. She knew she had to get going. And we mentioned Skylar. Well, she scored 24 and found Peddy in the corner in the waning moments.
What’s amazing was the calm and cool manner that Shey Peddy executed. She faked and let Mitchell fly by. Then she put it up the shot before the buzzer sounded. The shot went in. And the Mercury sent the defending champions home.
Washington had a great story coming in. They got off to a 3-0 start before their lack of star power caught up to them. The Mystics lost 12 of their next 13 games. But then they got it going. Most Improved Player candidate Myisha Hines-Allen was steely in her resolve. Finals MVP Emma Meesseman found her groove. And Ariel Atkins became a fail-safe in offense. They won 5 of their last 6. And they even went up by 12 in the fourth quarter against Phoenix.
But not all stories come to a good end. Washington’s journey didn’t end well. But Phoenix’s playoff run continues.
They move on to the second round after a Peddycure.
Bullet Passes
I picked the Chicago Sky to win against the Connecticut Sun. But Alyssa Thomas, who doesn’t have working shoulders, dominated the game with 28-13-8. 10 of those 13 boards were on the offensive end. The Sun outrebounded the Sky, 40-21.
It was the third quarter where Connecticut shined. They outscored the Sky, 27-11, in that important period. Chicago never seemed to get it going as Thomas continued to bulldoze over them throughout the game.
So I suppose this is where I make my picks for the second round. So the Mercury will go against the Minnesota Lynx while the Sun draw the Los Angeles Sparks.
#4 MINNESOTA LYNX vs #5 PHOENIX MERCURY
As odd as this sounds, the Lynx have been a cinderella story throughout the season. Yes, they always make it to the postseason; it’s their 10th straight playoffs. It’s also a surprise considering they’ve had so many injuries, including Sylvia Fowles, who has only played 7 games this season.
Still, it’s not like Napheesa Collier and Rookie of the Year frontrunner Crystal Dangerfield are doormats; those ladies can play. There’s a reason they’re the 4th seed. They have the best coach in Cheryl Reeve and she gets the MOST out of her players.
But once again, in this single-game elimination format, I have a hard time going against Diana Taurasi. And they are going in on a high after Peddy’s game-winning shot. I’m going to go with the veteran team here.
PREDICTION: PHOENIX MERCURY.
#3 LOS ANGELES SPARKS vs #7 CONNECTICUT SUN
I was reminded about last year when Candace Parker played limited minutes in an elimination game of the semifinals against the same Sun team. Maybe that’s all good now as they went through the season threatening to break into the Top 2. That didn’t happen but they still had an excellent season overall.
The Sun are not an aesthetically-pleasing basketball team but they will wear you down. But with that said, I feel that the Sparks just have too much firepower against the Sun. Unless Derek Fisher inexplicably sits them all down again.
PREDICTION: LOS ANGELES SPARKS.
Double U Scoreboard
#6 CHI 81 vs #7 CON 94 (CON advances to second round.)
#5 PHX 85 vs #8 WAS 84 (PHX advances to second round.)
Watch This Play
All yours, Shey Peddy.
CLUTCH. TIME. @SheyP11
The @PhoenixMercury advance to the 2nd round! #ATTPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/wC9zlZkVbP
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 16, 2020
By the way, congratulations to Maya Moore getting married to the man she freed from prison, Jonathan Irons! Selfishly, I want Maya to be back on the court. But she’s doing way more important things as she continues to fight for social justice. We wish you and Jonathan the happiest of times!
Playoffs continue on Thursday! Hope everyone stays safe in the Wubble!
Rey-Rey is on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
TNLP on FaceBook.