PHOENIX – With 6:45 left in the third quarter, during a 14-4 Chicago Sky run, the Phoenix Mercury were staring down their first home loss of the season Tuesday night.
But in the midst of an offensive cold spell to open the second half, the Mercury leaned on their strength – one that has defined the early part of the season when shots aren’t falling. A mindset instilled by second-year coach Nate Tibbetts, Phoenix locked in on defense to overcome a 16-point deficit to improve to 4-1 with a 94-89 win.
“They (coaching staff) made a statement that we were going to be a defensive team,” Mercury forward Kathryn Westbeld said. “For everyone to be able to buy into the same principles and to trust one another. I think that’s a really huge thing.”
Trust is an important attribute for any team, especially one that is newly assembled. Over the offseason, the Mercury lost two players that were integral to the team’s winning history – Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi. A new identity had to be established as the franchise entered its first season since 2003 without either cornerstone player.
Last season, the Mercury finished ninth in the WNBA in defensive rating (105.4) – a stat measuring how many points a team allows per 100 possessions. This season, they are ranked second (92.6). While some might be surprised considering Tibbetts’ reputation of being an “offensive coach,” he sees things differently.
“I don’t know if I’m a defensive coach or an offensive coach, I know you have to be good at both to be good in this league,” Tibbetts said. “It’s a small sample size, but I love our approach and want us to keep buying into that.”
While the Mercury’s transition has taken a collective effort, the additions of Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas have helped the team significantly. Sabally is second in the league in usage percentage (30.7) among starters – a stat estimating a player’s involvement offensively.
Thomas is first in the league in assist percentage (44.9) among starters which estimates the percentage of field goals a player has assisted. She’s also getting her teammates involved, recording 15 assists against the Sky to tie a franchise record set in 2009 by Cappie Pondexter.
“It’s an honor,” Thomas said. “Definitely the reason why I came here was the history of the players but the credit goes to my teammates.”
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Sabally and Thomas have made their impact offensively, but their defense helped lead Phoenix to victory. After Chicago’s third quarter run, the Mercury outscored the Sky the rest of the way, 52-31. Phoenix’s ability to get defensive stops was the catalyst to their run – leading to numerous scoring opportunities in transition.
Sabally ranks first in defensive win shares (0.259) among starters, while Thomas is 12th (0.203). Defensive win shares estimates how much a player contributes to their team’s wins through defensive performance.
Having two of their top players fully bought in on defense gives the Mercury a clear identity to build around moving forward.
“When we’re able to do what we do, which is play defense, we were dictating the game,” Thomas said.
Five games into this season, the Mercury are forcing a league-best 19 turnovers per game. In the opening minutes of the fourth quarter Tuesday, Phoenix’s defensive pressure led to a five-second and shot clock violation. The Mercury’s ability to set the tone resulted in the Sky having their lowest scoring quarter of the game.
The Mercury have produced their best start to a season since 2014, when Taurasi and Griner led the franchise to its third title. Similar to this year, that Mercury team produced a top defense in the league, with Griner winning Defensive Player of the Year – one of two she won during her 11 seasons in Phoenix.
The Mercury’s next opponent is the undefeated Minnesota Lynx (5-0) – the top team in the Western Conference. Last season, they lost to the Lynx in the first round of the playoffs.
Napheesa Collier, last season’s Defensive Player of the Year, leads the Lynx and according to FanDuel, the odds-on favorite to win WNBA MVP this season. The Lynx are ranked second in offensive rating (108.6).
“I’m just excited going against a championship contender,” Sabally said. “Napheesa’s been having an amazing season so that’s a good challenge.”
Fortunately for the Mercury, the game will be played at PHX Arena. where they are undefeated in their own right. And with the way they have established their identity on the defensive end, they give themselves a chance to win every game.
If there was any indicator, it was seen in Tuesday’s comeback win.
“We’re not going to just back down,” Mercury guard Kitija Laksa said. “That’s not going to happen.”
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