The Phoenix Mercury finished the first half of the season 10-14; they are currently in the ninth spot, one game out of the eighth spot for the playoffs. Phoenix built their roster to compete for the championship, but the Brittney Griner situation took a toll on the team, but they are still fighting.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!What Went Right
Skylar Diggins-Smith is having an outstanding season for the Mercury; she leads them in scoring averaging 18.9 points per game while dishing out 5.2 assists per game. In addition, Diggins-Smith shoots 44% from the field and 31% from the three-point line. If Phoenix is to make the playoffs, Diggins-Smith must lead the way.
Diamond DeShields is giving Phoenix good minutes; she looks close to 100% after her surgery. DeShields is averaging 13.3 points per game and is playing good all-around basketball. Sophie Cunningham is another player playing well for the Mercury; she scored a career-high 23 points in an 84-81 win over the New York Liberty in the last game before the All-Star break. Cunningham averages 10.1 points per game while shooting 39% from the free-throw line.
The Mercury is second in the WNBA in two-point field goal percentage at 51%. They also are fourth in the league in scoring with 82.4 points per game. Phoenix does a good job hitting their midrange shots and layups; Diggins-smith is dealy in the midrange.
What Went Wrong
Diana Taurasi is one of the best players in WNBA history, if not the best, but she is not having an efficient season. While she is averaging 15.8 points per game, she is shooting just 38% from the field and 32% from beyond the arc. Additionally, out of 289 shots attempted, 204 shots have been three-pointers. Taurasi must drive more aggressively to the basket and get her field goal percentage up.
Tina Charles was counted on to help lead the Mercury, but that was not the case. Midway through the season, Charles and the Mercury agreed to a contract divorce. Charles went on to sign with the Seattle Storm. Losing Charles hurt the Mercury because of their lack of size; they are dead last in the WNBA rebounding.
While Phoenix is fifth in the WNBA in three-pointers made per game, they are last in three-point field goal percentage, shooting 32%. Also, Mercury opponents shoot 38% from three-point land against them. They struggle defending the three, and they also give up 84.8 points, which is ninth in the WNBA.
Phoenix must improve their rebounding and defense if they want to make the playoffs. If they can do that, the Mercury could make the playoffs because they can score enough points. It will be interesting to see what kind of adjustments Vanessa Nygaard and her coaching staff makes for the rest of the season.
