Connecticut Sun win in second half defensive duel over Phoenix Mercury

Jeff Metcalfe
Arizona Republic

When the Phoenix Mercury vs. Connecticut Sun duel switched from an offensive to defensive game in the second half Saturday night, it was almost signaling that the WNBA playoffs are just around the corner.

The two teams, coming in a with a combined 21 straight wins, only managed 51 points between them in the second half before a season high 9,811 at Footprint Center.

That’s after a 49-43 first half that the Sun (24-6) extended to a 76-67 win, their franchise high 12th in a row. The Mercury (19-11) lost for the time since the Olympics after a 10-game win streak, their second longest.

“Not to be cocky, but we knew we can compete with the best of the best,” Mercury center Brittney Griner said. “We believe in ourselves enough. Even this game tonight with everything we did wrong, we change that it’s a different outcome. If it’s a (playoff) series, who knows what the outcome would have been because I guarantee if we play another day we would correct those mistakes and I would like to see what the outcome is after that.

“We’ve been feeling it, 10 in a row. That broke, but we know we belong and we’re going to go deep and make this run to a championship.”

Of course, the WNBA-leading Sun, Las Vegas, defending champion Seattle and Minnesota feel similarly, setting up what figures to be some titanic playoff basketball starting Sept. 23.

The Mercury are in fifth place and currently would host a first-round playoff elimination game. They still have a chance to finish in the top four and earn a first-round playoff bye with games remaining against Seattle and Las Vegas.

Griner returned Saturday after a one-game absence to attend her grandfather’s funeral. She responded with a game high 25 points and 12 rebounds in a game featuring two of the league’s top MVP candidates. She had her 16th career dunk, adding to her WNBA leading total, after a 3-pointer in the second quarter, a first for the 6-9 ninth-year center.

Connecticut’s Jonquel Jones also had a double-double (12 points/16 rebounds) but was limited to 5-of-18 shooting by Brianna Turner while Griner was 11-of-18.

The Mercury pulled even at 55 with 2:19 left in the third quarter before going to down by four (59-55) entering the fourth.

Phoenix was just 6-of-17 shooting in the fourth quarter and the Sun even worse (4-of-13), but Connecticut made a 3-pointer (Mercury 0-of-5) and went 8-of-8 on free throws (Mercury none).

That added up to the Sun going ahead 70-61 on a Jones layup with 2:28 remaining and holding on after consecutive Griner baskets with her steal in between cut the deficit to five (70-65) with a minute left.

“We kept the best team in the league to 27 points in the second half,” Mercury coach Sandy Brondello said. “Credit to Connecticut, they’re well coached, their big five work extremely well together. But we made it hard for them.”

The Mercury were without WNBA career scoring leader Diana Taurasi, out for a second straight game with an ankle injury. It’s uncertain if Taurasi will play in the final regular season games, but she is expected back at the latest for the playoffs.

Shey Peddy started again in place of Taurasi. The Mercury committed 16 turnovers, leading to 17 points, partly a product of Taurasi’s absence against the highest caliber opponent they have played post-Olympics.

“It was a bit of a grindy second half,” Brondello said. “Neither team could really find their offense. We didn’t have much flow and didn’t get enough shot attempts. In the end what hurt us was our turnovers and our offensive rebounds and second chance points (17 for the Sun).

“Having Diana out there will open it up for everybody else. We miss her calmness under pressure and passing ability. This is on me, we ran too many pick and rolls when they were trapping all the time. We needed more off ball action. We didn’t execute some of our plays because without Dee there, we move the positions around too. There are things we can get better at. Hopefully Diana will be back for the playoffs and that changes us, but I was still happy with our overall effort.”

Peddy plugs teammates for postseason awards

Peddy made an unsolicited plug for her teammates before Saturday's game in support of their WNBA postseason awards qualifications.

Voting for All-WNBA teams and other awards is underway Sept. 20 with winners to be announced during the playoffs.

"I’ve been seeing a lot of award lists (projections) floating around and I just think it’s crazy how nobody from the Mercury is on either one of those lists," Peddy said without being asked at the end of a media session after Saturday morning shootaround. 

"Let’s stat with MPV. BG (Griner) is balling, she’s been balling all season. Her numbers before and after Olympic break are at the top. I don’t understand how she’s not top two candidate right now for this award. You can honestly throw Sky (Diggins-Smith) in there too. She’s a certified bucket, hard to stop and doing her thing defensively, taking the best guard on the team trying to get us (high) as possible. I think she deserves to be on a defensive team as well.

"This is getting out of control. Defensive Player of the Year is Breezy (Brianna Turner), hands down. Nobody is doing what she’s doing out there. No shade or knock to any other candidate. What post player is defending their man but able to get out and stop a guard. What guard is defending their man but can go down low bang in the post and get a stop in the post. Nobody. What are we talking about right now. Defensive Player of the Year is Brianna Breezy Turner, that’s it, end of discussion."

Up next

The Mercury are off until Friday at Seattle (20-10), their final regular season road game. They then close the regular season at home against Las Vegas on Sept. 19.

Reach the reporter at jeff.metcalfe@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8053. Follow him on Twitter @jeffmetcalfe.

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