\u201cBecoming Caitlin Clark\u201d<\/strong> is out now!<\/strong><\/p>\n Howard Megdal\u2019s newest book is here! \u201cBecoming Caitlin Clark: The Unknown Origin Story of a Modern Basketball Superstar\u201d captures both the historic nature of Clark\u2019s rise and the critical context over the previous century that helped make it possible, including interviews with Clark, Lisa Bluder (who also wrote the foreword), C. Vivian Stringer, Jan Jensen, Molly Kazmer and many others.<\/p>\n The Aces now sit one win away from their third championship in four years. The Mercury, meanwhile, are searching for the same formula that fueled that fourth-quarter run, grasping for any positive takeaways from a tragic defeat.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not into moral victories,\u201d Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts told media postgame. \u201cThis is a game that we wanted to get, needed to get, but for us to compete the way that we did, I think just shows the character of our team. It\u2019s the way we fought all year.\u201d<\/p>\n Threes are better than twos<\/p>\n From the Mercury\u2019s perspective, this game can be summed up by what went wrong in the first three quarters and what went right in the final quarter. To simplify things even further, Phoenix\u2019s early kryptonite was purely a math problem: its defense allowed too many wide-open 3-pointers to Las Vegas, and its offense tried forcing the ball in the paint too frequently.<\/p>\n Phoenix\u2019s defense, which has now allowed 90 points per game through the first three games of the Finals, was a sticking point heading into Wednesday night. Mercury guard Kahleah Copper noted before the game that they previously struggled because they were too concerned with their individual matchups, rather than focusing on connected, team defense.<\/p>\n \u201cTaking pride in your individual matchup and wanting to shut that person down and not really focus on the other things,\u201d Copper said when asked why the defense was struggling. \u201cIt\u2019s easy to lose sight of it as a competitor being in the Finals, wanting to take your one-on-one matchup \u2026 just getting away from that, locking in as a team and helping each other.\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 However, in Game 3, it seemed like the opposite issue occurred, and the Mercury were overcompensating for that previous lapse. Phoenix often overhelped on drivers and paint touches, leading to wide-open kickouts for Aces\u2019 shooters. In transition, Phoenix struggled to catch up to open shooters flaring out to the corners and wings, compounding the issue.<\/p>\n \u201cYou got to communicate [better] out there,\u201d Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas<\/a> said. \u201cI think in transition, that\u2019s where they\u2019ve been hurting us, just getting open threes. So we got to continue to be better. I think [in the] second half we put out a better effort. We held them to lower averages, but still not good enough.\u201d<\/p>\n At one point in the first quarter, Aces guard Jewell Loyd<\/a> connected on four consecutive 3-pointers in the span of just three minutes, pushing Las Vegas\u2019 early lead to 21-8. Phoenix\u2019s own 10-0 run immediately after stopped the bleeding, but it was a moment in the game that proved to be monumental by the time the final buzzer sounded.<\/p>\n \u201c[It was] huge. Every minute counts.\u201d Aces coach Becky Hammon<\/a> said of Loyd\u2019s shots. \u201c\u2026 I know everybody looks at the stats. She knows she had four [3-pointers], but she\u2019s doing so many other things. Just her sprinting to the corner to get space for everybody, it\u2019s such a selfless thing.\u201d<\/p>\n The result was that the Aces scored nine 3-pointers to the Mercury\u2019s three through the first half of the game. Phoenix eventually caught up in that differential by making four in the second half while Las Vegas made zero, but still, that early 18-point disparity from deep ultimately proved to be too much to overcome.<\/p>\n \u201cThey had nine threes in the first half. Seven of them were uncontested,\u201d Tibbetts said. \u201cAnd then the second half, we made a stand and we picked it up, and it looked like a lot more of the defense that we\u2019ve been playing all year.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The IX Basketball, a 24\/7\/365 women\u2019s basketball newsroom powered by The Next Las Vegas\u2019 elite guard play<\/p>\n Perhaps the reason why Phoenix has been so challenged on the defensive end is because of the Aces\u2019 personnel. Las Vegas\u2019 guard quartet of Jackie Young<\/a>, Chelsea Gray<\/a>, Dana Evans<\/a> and Loyd is something the Mercury never had to deal with previously. In their first playoff series, they only had to contend with a hobbled Sabrina Ionescu<\/a> and a hot-or-cold Natasha Cloud<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Against the Minnesota Lynx, Phoenix dealt with Courtney Williams<\/a>, Kayla McBride<\/a> and Natisha Hiedeman<\/a>, a talented group, but very different stylistically than the Aces\u2019 group of guards. All four players tirelessly fly all over the court with the ability to playmake, shoot and hold their own defensively.\u00a0<\/p>\n Whether it was Evans in Game 1<\/a>, Young and Gray in Game 2<\/a>, or Loyd in Game 3, each one of them has had a shining performance this series to complement Wilson in offensive production.<\/p>\n Your business can reach over 3 million women\u2019s sports fans every single month!<\/strong><\/p>\n Here at The IX Basketball<\/a> and The IX Sports<\/a>, our audience is a collection of the smartest, most passionate women\u2019s sports fans in the world. If your business has a mission to serve these fans, reach out to our team at BAlarie@theixsports.com<\/a> to discuss ways to work together.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are the ones that actually throw the kisses of death,\u201d Hammon said of Loyd and Evans. \u201cYou think you\u2019re doing a good job on [Young] and [Wilson], and all of a sudden you have this next wave.\u201d<\/p>\n Las Vegas\u2019 four-headed monster on the perimeter combined for 54 points, 16 assists, 13 rebounds and six steals Wednesday night, a stat line that\u2019s symbolic of just how devastating their collective impact has been.<\/p>\n Every time the Mercury made a push, one of those guards had an answer with a timely 3-pointer, a key switch on defense or a pinpoint pass to Wilson. That versatility has set the tone for the crisp flow and balance that have made Las Vegas nearly impossible for Phoenix to slow down through three games.<\/p>\n Wilson\u2019s dominance exposes Phoenix\u2019s struggles<\/p>\n Of course, you can\u2019t mention a gaudy Las Vegas stat line without mentioning Wilson\u2019s. She finished with a game-high 34 points \u2014 her first 30-point Finals performance<\/a> of her illustrious career \u2014 while also adding 14 rebounds and the clutch, game-winning shot.<\/p>\n However, on the other end, Wilson made the biggest impact. She was the anchor of the Aces\u2019 defense that muddied Phoenix\u2019s offensive production in the halfcourt for three quarters of the game. The Mercury\u2019s identity, centered on physicality and aggressiveness and led by Thomas, has yet to fully show itself in this series.<\/p>\n Thomas was once again contained, albeit with a near triple-double \u2014 14 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists. For the second game in a row, Wilson put Thomas in foul trouble, limiting her aggressiveness on both ends down the stretch.\u00a0<\/p>\n That was most apparent in the Mercury\u2019s final possession before Wilson\u2019s game-winner, in which Thomas drove on Megan Gustafson<\/a>, but let up a little, allowing her go-ahead shot to be well-contested and missed. After the game, Thomas emphasized the shortcomings in team execution.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day, it\u2019s about getting each other open shots,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cAll season long, we\u2019ve seen different defenses, so it\u2019s not about just one person. It\u2019s about us playing connected, playing for each other.\u201d<\/p>\n Another comeback, another heartbreak<\/p>\n In the fourth quarter, Phoenix chipped away at Las Vegas\u2019 lead piece by piece, first cutting it to 10, then to single digits. Before long, it was a one-point game with just three minutes remaining. The X-Factor roared back to life, sensing yet another late-game miracle from a Mercury team that\u2019s made comebacks its postseason trademark.<\/p>\n But midway through that rally, Phoenix took a gut punch. Forward Satou Sabally<\/a> fell hard while chasing a loose ball, hitting her head. She lay motionless for several minutes before being helped off by teammates, the crowd booing after it was announced that there was no flagrant foul on the play.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s since been reported that she suffered a concussion and will miss Friday\u2019s Game 4. Despite not playing the final four and a half minutes, Sabally still finished with 24 points, her absence looming large for a team now trying to mount a historic comeback.<\/p>\n Order \u2018Rare Gems\u2019 and save 30% If you enjoy Megdal\u2019s coverage of women\u2019s basketball every Wednesday at The IX Sports, you will love \u201cRare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.\u201d Click the link below to order<\/a> and enter MEGDAL30<\/strong> at checkout to save 30%!<\/p>\n Yet in that moment of shock, the energy seemed to shift in the Mercury\u2019s favor. The crowd got louder, and the door was open for Copper to take over. After scoring just six points in the first three quarters, she poured in 11 in the fourth quarter, including back-to-back and-one layups followed by the 3-pointer that cut the deficit to one.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it gave her the opportunity to be aggressive and find her stroke,\u201d DeWanna Bonner<\/a> said. \u201cShe fueled the fourth-quarter comeback for sure. Unfortunately, [Sabally] went down, but kudos to [Copper] for stepping up.\u201d<\/p>\n Bonner proceeded to knock down a 3-pointer and two free throws to tie the game with a minute to go, totaling a team-high 25 points off the bench. Still, the storybook ending never came. After rallying from behind twice in the previous series against Minnesota<\/a>, this one slipped away from Phoenix in the final seconds.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like we had an opportunity to win Game 1 and tonight,\u201d Bonner said. \u201cHonestly, can\u2019t ask for a better situation than to have a chance to win it at the end.\u201d<\/p>\n The Mercury\u2019s late push was too little, too late, something Thomas admitted the team has to own. <\/p>\n \u201cIt took us too long to wake up and play defense,\u201d she said. \u201cI think the second half is our basketball and how we play. So shame on us for not coming out the way that we needed to come out.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, Phoenix faces elimination in Game 4 on Friday with the most improbable road to a Finals victory ahead. Although this is the first best-of-seven series in WNBA history, no team has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit<\/a> in a best-of-seven series in the NBA (0-159), where the format is standard.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know how many teams have come [back] from 0-3, not many, right?\u201d Tibbetts said. \u201cSo I\u2019m not going to sugarcoat that. We got a tough road ahead, but we got to take it one game at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n We\u2019re facing elimination,\u201d Thomas added. \u201cWe\u2019ve had plenty of opportunities to go out there and get a win. At some point, we have to take it upon ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n The IX Basketball, a 24\/7\/365 women\u2019s basketball newsroom powered by The Next![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1760052010_738_Untitled-design-13.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Jewell](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/USATSI_27277028.jpg\")
Oct 8, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Loyd (24) reacts after a 3-point basket against the Phoenix Mercury in the first half during Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center. (PhotoCredit: Mark J. Rebilas | Imagn Images)<\/p>\n
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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![\"Las](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/USATSI_27277704.jpg\")
Oct 8, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A\u2019ja Wilson (22) shoots the ball over Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) in the second half during Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center. (Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas | Imagn Images)<\/p>\n
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Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The IX Basketball and The IX Sports, wrote this deeply reported book. \u201cRare Gems\u201d follows four connected generations of women\u2019s basketball pioneers, from Elvera \u201cPeps\u201d Neuman to Cheryl Reeve and from Lindsay Whalen to Sylvia Fowles and Paige Bueckers.<\/p>\n![\"Kahleah](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/USATSI_27277818.jpg\")
Oct 8, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2) reacts after a basket against Las Vegas Aces center A\u2019ja Wilson (22) in the second half during game three of the 2025 WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center. (Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas | Imagn Images)<\/p>\n
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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","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Down by 17 to the Las Vegas Aces going into the fourth quarter, the Mercury rallied back to…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":290453,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[145637,2341,4552,20890,2340,15537,20022,4144,1502,20021,62,67,132,68,232,66837],"class_list":{"0":"post-290452","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wnba","8":"tag-2025-wnba-finals","9":"tag-aja-wilson","10":"tag-alyssa-thomas","11":"tag-becky-hammon","12":"tag-dewanna-bonner","13":"tag-jewell-loyd","14":"tag-kahleah-copper","15":"tag-las-vegas-aces","16":"tag-phoenix-mercury","17":"tag-satou-sabally","18":"tag-sports","19":"tag-united-states","20":"tag-unitedstates","21":"tag-us","22":"tag-wnba","23":"tag-wnba-finals"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115346776563400464","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=290452"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290452\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/290453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=290452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=290452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=290452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}