Alyssa Thomas and Mercury to WNBA Semifinals: Historic Triple-Double

New Champion in the WNBA! Phoenix Mercury Eliminates Title Defenders, New York Liberty

In 2025, the WNBA will have a new champion. Alyssa Thomas led the Phoenix Mercury to victory, securing a place in the semifinals after eliminating the defending champions, the New York Liberty, with a score of 79-73 in the third game of the series. Thomas, with a historic performance, recorded the first 20-point triple-double in WNBA playoff history, adding 11 rebounds and 11 assists to her impressive performance. This season, Thomas has achieved nine triple-doubles, five of them in the playoffs, solidifying her position as one of the most dominant players in the league.

“This is what she does,” commented Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts. “She impacts the game in many different ways. She only cares about winning. When you have a player of her caliber and with so much pride in winning a game, you’ll have a great game.”

Nate Tibbetts, coach of the Phoenix Mercury

Fans at the PHX Arena chanted “MVP” as Thomas shot free throws in the final seconds of the game. Previously, she had been announced as a finalist for the Most Valuable Player award. After playing 11 seasons in Connecticut, before being traded to Phoenix during the offseason, Thomas celebrated with coach Tibbetts and teammate DeWanna Bonner as the final buzzer sounded. The Mercury, ranked fourth, will face the Lynx, who lead the table, in the best-of-five semi-final, which will begin on Sunday in Minnesota.

“AT is incredible,” said Liberty player Breanna Stewart. “Although this is tough, I’m excited to see what she does next in the playoffs because she was a nightmare to guard. I’m sure everyone else will feel it too.”

Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty player

Stewart came close to keeping Liberty’s title defense alive. A basket by her brought New York within three points with 2:17 left. However, Bonner’s shot, from 13 feet, which beat the shot clock with 1:13 remaining, extended Phoenix’s lead to five points. The Mercury’s three stars, Kahleah Copper, Satou Sabally, and Thomas, combined to score or assist on 74 of the team’s 79 points. Sabally achieved her first playoff double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Phoenix dominated on the boards, with a 49-33 advantage. Copper grabbed nine rebounds and scored 12 points, including a spectacular basket that restored Phoenix’s five-point lead with 32.8 seconds left.

“Phoenix executed better when it really mattered,” commented Sandy Brondello, Liberty coach. Stewart, who suffered a medial collateral ligament sprain in New York’s Game 1 victory, finished with 30 points, nine rebounds, two blocks, and two steals. She scored Liberty’s 14 points in the final quarter. Sabrina Ionescu added 22 points, six rebounds, and six assists. “When I got injured on Sunday, I could barely walk out of this arena,” Stewart said. “I was really worried about having broken something. I’m so grateful I didn’t, and if there was a slight chance to play, I’d be here with my team. But trying to give my best and really focus on recovering and myself, and doing everything I could to keep us in the game, it wasn’t enough. So, while it may be memorable, it’s still tough.” Phoenix and Minnesota have faced each other four times, with the Lynx winning the regular season series 3-1. Copper and Thomas missed the first two games, and Copper and Sabally missed the second two. “They haven’t seen us at full power,” Thomas said. Sabally added: “We are excited. Round 2, let’s go!”