Mercury Secure Sixth WNBA Finals Spot As Tibbetts Praises Team’s Pride And Togetherness

Phoenix Mercury's coach, Nate Tibbetts, praised his team's unity and determination as they secured their sixth WNBA finals appearance. This victory, their first since 2021, came with an 86-81 win against

the Minnesota Lynx in the semi-finals' fourth game. Despite trailing by 14 early on and by 13 entering the final quarter, the Mercury surged back with a 31-point finish to clinch the series 3-1.

The Mercury's comeback was historic as they became only the third team in WNBA history to overcome a deficit of more than 13 points in the fourth quarter of a playoff game. They are also the first team to rally from multiple deficits of over 14 points within the same series. Their next challenge will be against either Las Vegas Aces or Indiana Fever in the championship round.

Alyssa Thomas always delivers She dropped her 28th playoff double-double in the Mercury's dubthe MOST in WNBA history, passing Tamika Catchings and Candace Parker! WNBA Playoffs | @google https://t.co/UchpK6C7fL pic.twitter.com/gmK3TGRbvc WNBA (@WNBA) September 29, 2025

Alyssa Thomas was instrumental with her performance, scoring 23 points and providing 10 assists. She achieved her 28th career playoff double-double, surpassing Tamika Catchings and Candace Parker for the most in WNBA history. Additionally, Thomas became the first player to record at least 20 points and 10 assists in multiple series-clinching games during a single postseason.

Coach Tibbetts expressed admiration for his team's resilience: "No one has had expectations for us except ourselves," he said. "The pride and togetherness for such a new group is pretty impressive. We could have just said, 'You know, we'll go to Game 5 in Minnesota and figure it out,' but we kept fighting. "

Thomas shared her thoughts on joining Phoenix: "I believed in the franchise; I believed in the team they were putting together," she stated. "For me, it was a fresh start to play with people who want the same thing as I do and a franchise that's known for winning—winning championships. "

The Mercury's journey reflects their determination and teamwork as they aim for another championship title. Their remarkable comeback against Minnesota highlights their potential to succeed further in this season's playoffs.