On Wednesday night, the Phoenix Mercury came up short in their 78-81 loss to the New York Liberty. The game was full of lead changes and momentum swings, with both teams playing fiercely until the final buzzer. Sabrina Ionescu scored 22 points for the Liberty, while Jonquel Jones added 20.
The game was particularly close in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, with New York making a crucial 9-0 run to take a commanding lead. Jones contributed four points during this run, including a layup and subsequent free throws that helped secure the victory for the Liberty. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton’s jumper in the final seconds sealed it for New York.
Phoenix struggled to find their rhythm after a poor shooting night in their previous game, but they were led by Natasha Cloud’s strong performance. Kahleah Copper also scored 20 points for Phoenix, but they couldn’t recover from New York’s late surge.
Despite falling behind early on, Phoenix fought back hard and managed to keep the game close until the final moments. Brittney Griner continues to work her way back from injury and is expected to return to action soon. The Mercury will next face Minnesota on Friday as they wrap up their road trip, while New York will welcome Washington to town for a three-game homestand starting next week.
