The tightly-contested battle between the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds was back and forth the whole way, as regulation ended in a 65-65 deadlock. But in the end, the Liberty squad that went into overtime to win a do-or-die Game 5 in the WNBA Finals less than a year ago tapped into their experience to pull away with a 76-69 win – going up 1-0 in the best of three quarterfinals series.
“I think we looked around and realized we’d been in that position before with the majority of us,” Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu said. “Just understanding how important overtime is, and knowing we had another gear to get to … we weathered the runs that they went on and ultimately found a way to win.”
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Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts noted how playoff experience would play a major role in the series before it started, pointing out the gap between his team and the battle-tested Liberty.
“Experience does matter, in my opinion, in the playoffs,” Tibbetts said. “We have not had it collectively as a group, but individually, we’ve got some players that are going to play in major minutes that have been through some big games.”
Coincidentally, it was the opposing player Tibbetts has the most personal experience with that ended up having the biggest game. Natasha Cloud played for the Tibbetts-coached Mercury a season ago, but was the primary piece traded away in the deal with the Connecticut Sun that landed current Mercury stars Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally.
Cloud was dealt by the Sun to the Liberty. And this matchup with her former team in the first round of the playoffs appeared to spark Cloud. She ended with a game-high 23 points on fantastic efficiency – 9-for-12 from the field, and 3-for-6 from 3-point range.
“I’m sure it did [give her some extra motivation]…,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said. “…She knows what she needs to do to help us win, and she was massive tonight at both ends of the floor. She had to guard [Kahleah] Copper down the other end, but she made some really timely shots, and she controlled the game for us.”
Sep 14, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud (9) reacts as her team pulls away during overtime against the Phoenix Mercury during game one of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs round one at PHX Arena. (Photo Credit: Allan Henry | Imagn Images)
Even with Cloud setting the tone, the Mercury’s defense rose to the moment, stringing together stops and holding the Liberty scoreless for minutes at a time on multiple occasions. The problem was on the other end – Phoenix’s offense stalled too often, and its shots just couldn’t fall when it mattered the most.
Nowhere was that more evident than on the final possession of regulation, when Thomas spun beautifully into an open layup she’s converted countless times before, only to watch what would have been the game-winner rattle off the rim and out.
“Just an unfortunate roll,” Thomas said. “I made that shot thousands of times, so for me, it’s no big deal. Of course, it would’ve been nice if it went down, but there’s still a lot of basketball to play.”
Instead of being up 1-0, the Mercury find themselves down and no longer with home-court advantage as they travel to Brooklyn for a must-win Game 2 on Wednesday. Still, Tibbetts has the same mindset, noting how the upcoming game is the one that mattered before Game 1 even tipped off.
“I was telling the team, ‘If we win or lose tonight, Game 2’s going to be the biggest game of the playoffs,’” Tibbetts said pregame.
When reminded about that comment postgame, Tibbetts doubled down, “I think in this job, every day there’s pressure. So when you play sports, you’re going to be put in these situations and you actually live for these moments. You get a chance to go to the opposing team’s arena and get a win.”
Copper added, “It’s done, it’s over. Our heads are still up. We’re just going to go to New York and get one. It’s just our mentality.”
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Game 2 could carry a much different complexion depending on the health of Liberty star Breanna Stewart. The three-time champion and two-time MVP finished with 18 points, second only to Cloud, but went down with a left knee injury in overtime while converting her final basket. Stewart attempted to play through it at first, but ultimately spent the rest of the extra period visibly upset on the bench.
“She asked me to sub her out, and she looked uncomfortable, so that was the reason we took her out there,” Brondello said. “We’ll just be hoping that she’ll be OK.”
Brondello added that she will be evaluated soon, but as of right now, her status for Wednesday’s game remains uncertain.
That hasn’t stopped the Mercury from embracing an underdog mentality, despite being the higher-seeded team. Phoenix kept it close despite off nights from some of its best players, and arguably should have won had Thomas’ last-second shot fallen.
The Mercury’s Big 3 of Thomas, Copper and Sabally were just a combined 14 for 48 (29.1 percent) shooting from the floor. Rookie guard Monique Akoa Makani struggled as well, going 2-for-11, although she played solid defense on Ionescu.
Veteran DeWanna Bonner was the bright spot for Phoenix off the bench, pouring in an efficient 12 points in 31 minutes while also playing great defense.
“That’s why we went and got DB, for these moments,” Tibbetts said. “As soon as she checked in you just felt her impact. No moment is too big. I’m happy for her that she had a really good game here today, and we’re going to need her veteran presence in New York too, as we go on the road.”
The Mercury know the odds are stacked against them. This is a team with an almost entirely new identity, only two players remain from last season’s roster, and Game 1 marked their first real playoff test as a group. Against the defending champions, they were a possession away from stealing an early advantage in the series.
“No one’s picking us to win this series. I know we believe in us, and so this is our journey,” Tibbetts said. “This was our first playoff game together. We went toe-to-toe with the defending champs and had a chance to win. I’m super proud of how we competed and gave ourselves a chance to win at the end, and I know [we] expect to bounce back in New York.”