MERCURY COMPLETE THIRD LARGEST COMEBACK IN WNBA PLAYOFF HISTORY \ud83e\udd2f\ud83d\ude31<\/p>\n
THEY COMEBACK DOWN 20 PTS TO TIE SERIES 1-1 \ud83d\ude33\ud83d\udd25 pic.twitter.com\/fi9SHgEqi5<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 24, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n From the start of the second half through overtime, Phoenix outscored the Lynx 57-35, their trademark physicality<\/a> powering a thrilling come-from-behind victory.<\/p>\n “I would think that’s what a team would do. After a first half that didn’t go like they wanted it to, that’s typically what you do,” Reeve explained when asked about the Mercury’s second-half intensity. “I think our response to it was a little bit uncharacteristic.” <\/p>\n Phoenix’s elite frontcourt duo of Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally fueled the charge. Thomas finished two assists of a triple-double, tallying 19 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists. Sabally, meanwhile, rebounded from a relatively quiet Game 1 performance with 24 points and five three-pointers.<\/p>\n Yet it was 36-year-old guard Sami Whitcomb who had the biggest shot of the night.<\/p>\n With 20.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter, the Mercury had the ball trailing by three. Looking to tie, head coach Nate Tibbetts put the ball in Whitcomb’s hands. Her first effort from distance missed the rim entirely, but a clutch offensive rebound from Thomas kept the possession alive.<\/p>\n The Mercury swung it back around to Whitcomb on the left wing, whose pump fake drew a premature contest from Co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith. With a clear lane to shoot, Whitcomb delivered, draining the three-pointer with 4.3 seconds left and effectively sending the game into overtime.<\/p>\n SAMI WHITCOMB TIES THE GAMEpic.twitter.com\/0UERb4GhZz<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) September 24, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n “We still had a chance up three,” Reeve recounted. “If we just stay in plays and don’t go flying by a shooter, [if] we get a contest, maybe the outcome’s different — but not to be. They made the plays.” <\/p>\n It’s a play that does not reflect favorably on the Lynx in retrospect, particularly for a squandered chance to take a foul after Thomas’ rebound and prevent a second three-point attempt. <\/p>\n Napheesa Collier and Bridget Carleton flanked Thomas, but allowed her to kick outside to Kahleah Copper. Once again, Minnesota orchestrated a trap, this time with Carleton and Kayla McBride, but no foul was committed. Seconds later, Copper sent a cross-court pass to Whitcomb, setting up the game-tying shot.<\/p>\n “We didn’t instruct them to take a foul, so they were playing it out,” Reeve disclosed postgame. “In hindsight, I do like a foul there, but I didn’t direct them to.”<\/p>\n Cheryl Reeve on not fouling after the offensive rebound in the final Mercury possession in regulation<\/p>\n \u201cWe were certainly thinking we could use the foul, we didn\u2019t instruct them to take a foul. So they were playing it out. In hindsight, I do like a foul there but I didn\u2019t direct\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/FIptInohVP<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) September 24, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Still, Minnesota’s second-half collapse goes far beyond one play or one missed opportunity. <\/p>\n Cheryl Reeve Breaks Down Shocking Second Half for Lynx Sep 23, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride (21) falls to ground and attempts to keep dribbling against Phoenix Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb (33) in the second half during game two of the second round for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images<\/p>\n The Lynx carried a 16-point lead into halftime, extending it to 20 halfway through the third quarter. But as the momentum began to shift, Minnesota ultimately aided Phoenix’s comeback effort.<\/p>\n Cheryl Reeve on what led to the Lynx losing their way in the third quarter <\/p>\n \u201cThe lack of execution led us to the uncertainty. All of a sudden they\u2019re looking around, they had a bunch of oh s*** looks and so execution, simple things, pass and catch. Just be able to dribble the\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/i9Ok4gvFBD<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) September 24, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n “I think the lack of execution led us to the uncertainty, and all of a sudden, we’re looking around and had a bunch of ‘oh s—‘ looks,” Reeve asserted. “Execution, simple things, pass and catch. Phoenix certainly was a big part defensively, but I can show you four turnovers that had nothing to do with Phoenix.”<\/p>\n 14 of Minnesota’s 18 turnovers came in the second half or overtime, including a costly five-second violation in the final minute of the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n Cheryl Reeve on the 5 second violation late in the fourth quarter <\/p>\n \u201cMy timeout was to late, BC knows she can always take a timeout, we didn\u2019t get it done. I should have been there as insurance for her. When I was saying timeout he was saying five second call\u201d pic.twitter.com\/t70YEtyBrT<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Minnesota](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/01k5yk1mjp7m5tan3dxv.jpg\" "\\"Minnesota")
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