Round one Monday goes to DeWanna Bonner and the Connecticut Sun over the Phoenix Mercury, Bonner’s former team.
Round two is Wednesday and it’s possible there will be a round three in the WNBA playoffs.
So the Mercury reaction after their six-game win streak ended with an 85-70 loss at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, was to tip their cap without overreacting to their first defeat since Aug. 21.
“They played really, really well today, and we didn’t have enough,” Mercury guard Diana Taurasi said. “We didn’t do enough anything. Defensively, we weren’t as focused as we’ve been. Offensively, we didn’t take care of the ball. They played better than us and kicked our butts.”
The Sun (10-10) jumped to a 9-0 lead and never trailed although the Mercury (12-8) pulled even late in the second quarter and were within three at 5:52 in the third.
Bonner then hit consecutive 3-pointers, sparking a 12-6 run to close the third. The Sun added the first five points of the fourth, going up 62-48, and the Mercury could get no closer than nine thereafter.
The 6-4 Bonner scored 23 of her game-high 25 points in the first three quarters and pulled eight rebounds. She had countless similar games in her 10 seasons with the Mercury, which ended after 2019 when as an unrestricted free agent she left to Connecticut in a sign-and-trade deal.
“It was really emotional for me,” Bonner said afterwards on CBS Sports Network. “When I made the change, it was really hard. It’s funny we clinch (the playoffs) off that game.”
The Mercury used draft picks from Connecticut for Bonner to obtain guard Skylar Diggins-Smith in a sign-and-trade deal with Dallas.
Diana Taurasi and Diggins-Smith are two of the top six scorers in the WNBA with Bonner fourth. So the exchange of all-league talent has worked out for both teams although on Labor Day, the better work was put in by the Sun’s defense disrupting the Mercury guards.
Taurasi scored 19 and Diggins-Smith 16, but they were a combined 10-of-30 from the field and 4-15 on 3-pointers. The Mercury committed 17 turnovers — 11 of those by center Kia Vaughn and Diggins-Smith — leading to 22 Sun points.
“We just didn’t execute well enough how to exploit out of their traps,” Mercury coach Sandy Brondello said. “Everything was congested so we had to rely on the outside shot, but we still didn’t get a lot of great open looks and they kind of took us out of our rhythm a little bit.”
The Mercury have been without 6-9 center Brittney Griner (personal reasons) since Aug. 21, and her absence showed more than in the previous seven games on both ends of the floor. Vaughn scored nine points but the Mercury lacked a consistent post threat, and the Sun scored 36 points in the paint, something Phoenix must correct going forward.
“We have what we have, and we’re playing well,” Taurasi said. “Everyone who’s here has bought in. They just played better than us today. You’ll have nights like that. We made a couple of good pushes. They just made more plays and played with a little bit more energy. We can take some things to give us a better shot in the next game.”
Alyssa Thomas also had a big game for the Sun, falling just short of a triple-double with 22 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
The Mercury still are fifth in the WNBA followed by Chicago (11-9), Connecticut and Dallas (7-12). If the playoffs began today, the Mercury would play Dallas in a first-round elimination game, but those seedings could shuffle this week so Phoenix and Connecticut are paired.
“When you play a team that played as aggressively defensive as they did, you learn so much from it,” Brondello said. “I say the lesson is always positive even though the result isn’t what you wanted at the time. This is one of those games.”
Mercury add forward Alisia Jenkins
Before tip-off Monday, the Mercury signed free agent forward Alisia Jenkins for the remainder of the season with a roster hardship exemption granted by the WNBA.
The 6-1 Jenkins already was in the WNBA bubble, having played briefly this season for Indiana and Chicago (three games, five minutes total) so she was able to dress immediately.
Jenkins played in college at South Florida, finishing in 2016 as the school career rebound leader. She has played overseas since until finally getting a shot in the WNBA this year. In Hungary, she was the league Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 22.4 points and 12.3 rebounds. She also played in Spain, the Czech Republic and Australia.
"It's more insurance we have another player," Mercury coach Sandy Brondello said. "We're a little banged up, and she's in the bubble. She's been really productive overseas. She can give us some athleticism, rebounding, defense."
The Mercury were without forward Alanna Smith due to a foot injury suffered Sunday. Brondello is hopeful to have Smith back this week or at minimum for the playoffs.
Including Jenkins, the Mercury had nine available players Tuesday.
Up next
The Mercury and Connecticut will meet again Wednesday in the next to last regular season game for both. The Mercury also played back-to-back against Washington on Aug. 23 and 28, winning twice.
Reach the reporter at jeff.metcalfe@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8053. Follow him on Twitter @jeffmetcalfe.
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DeWanna Bonner burns former team, Sun end Mercury six-game win streak - The Arizona Republic
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