The IX Basketball, a 24\/7\/365 women\u2019s basketball newsroom powered by The Next 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.<\/p>\n \u201cExperience does matter, in my opinion, in the playoffs,\u201d Tibbetts said. \u201cWe have not had it collectively as a group, but individually, we\u2019ve got some players that are going to play in major minutes that have been through some big games.\u201d<\/p>\n Coincidentally, it was the opposing player Tibbetts has the most personal experience with that ended up having the biggest game. Natasha Cloud<\/a> 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<\/a> and Satou Sabally<\/a>.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> \u2013 9-for-12 from the field, and 3-for-6 from 3-point range.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure it did [give her some extra motivation]\u2026,\u201d Liberty coach Sandy Brondello<\/a> said. \u201c\u2026She 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<\/a> down the other end, but she made some really timely shots, and she controlled the game for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Even with Cloud setting the tone, the Mercury\u2019s 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 \u2013 Phoenix\u2019s offense stalled too often, and its shots just couldn\u2019t fall when it mattered the most.\u00a0<\/p>\n Nowhere was that more evident than on the final possession of regulation, when Thomas spun beautifully into an open layup she\u2019s converted countless times before, only to watch what would have been the game-winner rattle off the rim and out.<\/p>\n \u201cJust an unfortunate roll,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cI made that shot thousands of times, so for me, it\u2019s no big deal. Of course, it would\u2019ve been nice if it went down, but there\u2019s still a lot of basketball to play.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI was telling the team, \u2018If we win or lose tonight, Game 2\u2019s going to be the biggest game of the playoffs,\u2019\u201d Tibbetts said pregame.<\/p>\n When reminded about that comment postgame, Tibbetts doubled down, \u201cI think in this job, every day there\u2019s pressure. So when you play sports, you\u2019re going to be put in these situations and you actually live for these moments. You get a chance to go to the opposing team\u2019s arena and get a win.\u201d<\/p>\n Copper added, \u201cIt\u2019s done, it\u2019s over. Our heads are still up. We\u2019re just going to go to New York and get one. It\u2019s just our mentality.\u201d<\/p>\n Want even more women\u2019s sports in your inbox?<\/strong><\/p>\n Subscribe now to The IX Sports<\/a> and receive our daily women\u2019s sports newsletter covering soccer, tennis, basketball, golf, hockey and gymnastics from our incredible team of writers. That includes Basketball Wednesday from founder and editor Howard Megdal.<\/p>\n Readers of The IX Basketball now save 50% on their subscription to The IX.<\/p>\n Game 2 could carry a much different complexion depending on the health of Liberty star Breanna Stewart<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n \u201cShe asked me to sub her out, and she looked uncomfortable, so that was the reason we took her out there,\u201d Brondello said. \u201cWe\u2019ll just be hoping that she\u2019ll be OK.\u201d<\/p>\n Brondello added that she will be evaluated soon, but as of right now, her status for Wednesday\u2019s game remains uncertain.<\/p>\n That hasn\u2019t 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\u2019 last-second shot fallen.<\/p>\n The Mercury\u2019s 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<\/a> struggled as well, going 2-for-11, although she played solid defense on Ionescu.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>
The IX Basketball<\/a>: A basketball newsroom brought to you by The IX Sports<\/a>. 24\/7\/365 women\u2019s basketball coverage, written, edited and photographed by our young, diverse staff and dedicated to breaking news, analysis, historical deep dives and projections about the game we love.<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/USATSI_27086010-edited-scaled.jpg\")
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)<\/p>\n