The 2021 season was a notable year for the Phoenix Mercury, as they were a few games away from winning their fourth championship. The Mercury finished the season with a record of 19-13, and they had a challenging playoff run that led to them reaching the WNBA Finals.
Oct 15, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) drives against Chicago Sky forward/center Azur Stevens (30) during the first half of game three of the 2021 WNBA Finals at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images / Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Phoenix had two close games in the first round. They beat the New York Liberty 83-82 in the first round, and they beat the Seattle Storm 85-80 in the next round. Then, they beat the Las Vegas Aces in a competitive series before taking on the Chicago Sky in the Finals. The first two rounds of that year’s playoffs were single-elimination games, then the remaining matchups became series. So, the Mercury had a tougher task on their hands when it came to the Aces and the Sky.
Oct 17, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky guard/forward Kahleah Copper (2), center, shoots against Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) and Phoenix Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith (4) during the second half of game four of the 2021 WNBA Finals at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images / Matt Marton-Imagn Images
The Sky won that series, as they beat the Mercury 3-1. They had an impressive playoff run of their own, as they beat the Dallas Wings in the first round, the Minnesota Lynx in the second and the Connecticut Sun after that. Once those matchups were finished, they beat the Mercury to win it all.
Despite the loss, it was a good year for Phoenix. They had a solid playoff run in 2020, and they had a chance to build off that momentum. The Mercury made some moves to prepare for what would be an even deeper playoff run, and for the most part, it was about bringing back key players.
Apr 21, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi works out during training camp at Verizon 5G Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Cheryl Evans/The Republic via USA TODAY NETWORK / The Republic-USA TODAY NETWORK
Before the season, they re-signed Shey Peddy and Nia Coffey. Both players received training camp deals. Phoenix also re-signed Diana Taurasi, who had a legendary career and was the team’s star since 2004. After bringing back Taurasi, they also signed Kia Vaughn. The Mercury also made a trade, as they traded draft picks to New York for Kia Nurse and Megan Walker.
Phoenix made another trade, and it involved Yvonne Turner. They sent her to the Atlanta Dream, and they received a draft pick. After some additions and subtractions, the Mercury roster was set, and they were off to the races. They played well, and their hard work paid off as it led to the franchise’s fifth Finals appearance.
The Mercury exceeded expectations, and while the Sky came out on top, Phoenix did their best.
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