Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Mercury fell to a 3-0 hole in the WNBA Finals

The Aces closed the Mercury’s coffin, and all they have left to do is shovel dirt over it to win the title. It was obvious that A’ja Wilson would get the ball on the last possession at five seconds left of a stalemate, and the hosts couldn’t stop her from burying a turnaround jumper. Just 0.3 seconds remained- only enough time for a lob- that DeWanna Bonner bricked. 

Tough scene for Phoenix. They couldn’t stop Wilson, who hasn’t failed to live up to her name in one series this postseason and had six of her 34 digits in the fourth quarter. And more of the same from Alyssa Thomas, who has not been dependable late in games of the Finals, starting with folding at the line with 24.6 seconds left of Game 1. The latter was a threat before intermission, but only had three points on 33% shooting in the second half.

The hosts went down double digits in the first half, partly because they gave up seven uncontested treys, then got bailed out by Satou Sabally, and were in trouble again in the fourth quarter.  A 17-7 Mercury run ensued that was capped with DeWanna Bonner’s vintage scoring to force another tie in the last minute.  But it wasn’t meant to be, and the public saw their emotions bleed onto the court as they awkwardly huddled into a circle, as the Aces did in celebration on the other side. 

Adding insult to injury, Sabally’s status is in question after getting smacked in the face by Kierstan Bell’s leg on a fall. She left Game 3 with four minutes left. 

Coach Nate Tibbetts mentioned “looking inside yourself” and competing, but it might as well have been the speech a chaplain gives a prisoner before execution. No sane person gives them a chance to win out, and I suspect they don’t even believe they can either.  

Thomas said it took Phoenix too long to wake up and guard. It’s taken her too long to notice that sometimes the right play is for herself and not others. 

Hopefully, commissioner Cathy Engelbert doesn’t show favoritism to the champs when it’s over by wearing a dress with their city on it, as she did last for New York.