The Phoenix Mercury (2-7 Overall, 1-3 Western Conference) hosted the Minnesota Lynx (6-2 Overall, 2-0 Western Conference) for their first game during the WNBA’s Commissioner’s Cup on Monday night.
Phoenix was coming off a road trip in Atlanta, and back-to-back games in New York.
The road trips were not in Mercury’s favor, as they lost in Atlanta, and lost both games in New York.
The Mercury entered the game on a five-game slide and looked to snap their streak against the Minnesota Lynx.
The Lynx hold the best record in the WNBA at 6-2, and are first in the Western Conference, meanwhile the Mercury sit at the bottom of the West.
Phoenix lost their first meeting against Minnesota 88-84 in May, in which Mercury guard Kahleah Copper recorded a team season high 30 points.
She also leads the team in scoring with 18.4 points per game, which is 11th in the WNBA.
Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, who was a 2025 MVP finalist, was averaging a near triple-double with 16.7 PPG, 7.2 rebounds per game, and 8.1 assists per game.
A complete team performance would be needed to break Phoenix out of this losing streak.
The Lynx undefeated on the road so far this season, were led by Natasha Howard, who was averaging 17.2 PPG and 8.1 RPG, and who was also the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup MVP.
At the first timeout, the Mercury were down early 17-8; the Lynx opened the game up early off of three Phoenix turnovers.
Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles already had nine points as she was able to make multiple buckets in the paint with ease.
The Lynx backcourt continued to work, as Courtney Williams drilled a contested triple; she had 12 points with a minute left in the first quarter, as the Mercury trailed 29-19.
At the end of the first, the deficit grew to 13, as Phoenix trailed 35-22. Minnesota had 10 points off of six Phoenix turnovers.
35 points was a season high by a Mercury opponent in the first quarter.
The Lynx dominated in the paint with 18 points compared to just four for the Mercury.
Williams and Miles combined for 28 points with 6:26 left in the second quarter. Giving Minnesota a 46-26 lead.
At the half, it was all Minnesota at 67-40—the most points the Mercury have allowed in the first half all season.
Phoenix already had 11 turnovers, and Thomas was held to just 1-for-6 from the field and six points.
Meanwhile, Williams had 19 points at the half on near perfect shooting, as she was 8-for-10.
With her second three pointer made of the game, Copper entered the top 10 in Mercury history for three pointers made all time at 137, passing Skylar Diggins.
With 3:30 left in the fourth, the Lynx eclipsed the century mark to make it 100-67; a two-sided affair with the Mercury shooting 20-for-59 from the field, while the Lynx were 41-for-64.
Many season highs for Minnesota were set, as Williams set a season high in scoring with 30, and the team shot 63.8% from the field.
The struggles continued for the Mercury as they lost their sixth straight—111-77.
The Lynx tied a season high in scoring in a single game with 111 points.
For the Mercury, Copper led the team with 18 points, followed by 11 from Noemie Brochant, and 10 from Monique Akoa Makani, while Thomas was held to six points.
Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts kept the postgame conference short.
“We all gotta keep a right mind frame,” Tibbetts said with regard to the team’s struggles. “Lots of defensive issues—in that game.”
Phoenix (2-8 Overall, 1-3 Western Conference) will head to Seattle to face the Storm (3-7 Overall, 0-2 Western Conference) on Wednesday in the WNBA’s Commissioner’s Cup.
