SERIES WINNER: PHOENIX

 

What to Expect:

Even without Diana Taurasi (one of the best players in WNBA history), the Mercury is still the clear favorite to win this series.  3 of their players participated in the All-Star game this year, namely Dewanna Bonner, Candice Dupree, and Brittney Griner.  Brittney Griner, in only her 3rd season out of Baylor, is already the Mercury’s all-time leader in blocks and the second ever back-to-back winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award.  During the regular season, Phoenix won 3 of their 5 meetings with Tulsa.

The Shock would have a much better chance if its star point guard, Skylar Diggins, hadn’t been sidelined after playing only 9 games this year with a torn ACL.  Before she left, she averaged close to 15 points and 5 assists per game.  With her, the Shock was 8-1 to start the season.  Without her, the Shock was 10-15 to end it.  Odyssey Sims and Plenette Pierson won’t go quietly, but without Diggins, Tulsa is unlikely to make it past the veteran leadership of Bonner and Dupree, not to mention the long arms of Griner.

 

Game 1: Phoenix 88, Tulsa 55

 

Key Players (Mercury):

Brittney Griner- 18 points, 11 BLOCKS!!!, 8 rebounds

Dewanna Bonner- 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists

Leilani Mitchell- 12 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals

Candice Dupree- 10 points, 3 rebounds

 

Key Players (Shock):

Odyssey Sims- 18 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists

Jordan Hooper- 14 points, 6 rebounds

Plenette Pierson- 10 points, 6 rebounds

Courtney Paris- 3 points, 7 rebounds

 

Odyssey Sims kept her team barely alive in the first quarter, shooting 5/7 for 11 points, several of those made with driving layups against her former teammate, Brittney Griner.  Phoenix started the 2nd quarter with an 8-0 run that put them up 30-17 and proceeded to completely dominate the rest of the game.  By halftime, they were ahead 52-22, the Mercury was shooting 63.6% from the field, and Griner had 7 blocks and 12 points.

Tulsa worked on a comeback in the third quarter, going on a 12-0 run and cutting the lead to 18 about halfway through the period.  Brittney Griner responded with a few blocks and 6 points, and the Shock failed to seriously challenge their lead after that.  The fourth quarter was all Phoenix as they finished with a resounding 33-point lead.

 

Game 2: Phoenix 91, Tulsa 67

 

Key Players (Mercury):

Brittney Griner- 23 points, 12 rebounds, 5 blocks

DeWanna Bonner- 20 points, 11 rebounds

Candice Dupree- 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals

Noelle Quinn- 7 points, 4 rebounds

 

Key Players (Shock):

Odyssey Sims- 22 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals

Karima Christmas- 11 points, 7 rebounds

Plenette Pierson- 11 points, 5 rebounds

Courtney Paris- 8 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals

 

Tulsa looked out of sorts right out of the gate.  The Mercury went up 9-2 early by forcing turnovers and bad shots around a freakishly tall Phoenix starting line up (the shortest player, to give you an idea, was Marta Xargay at 5’11”).  The Shock stayed afloat in that quarter by shooting 8/8 from the free throw line and managed to tie things up going into the second at 19-19.  The second period started well enough for Tulsa- they even had a 26-21 lead at one point, before Sandy Brondello called a timeout and Phoenix turned it around.  Phoenix went on a 10-0 run with tough defense, and their lead didn’t stop increasing when Griner got in foul trouble and checked out of the game with a few minutes left in the half.  This was mostly because of DeWanna Bonner’s defensive and offensive efforts, including 9 second quarter points and two drained threes.  At the half, the Mercury led 41-31, was doubling up the Shock’s field goal percentage (50% vs. 25%), and led 6 blocks to none.

The Mercury lengthened the lead in the third quarter, responding to an early effort by the Shock coming out of the locker room and going on an 15-0 run to push their lead to 64-42.  Griner had 9 points in the third to lead the charge, mostly in impossible-to-stop turnaround jump shots around the rim.  A little 6-0 run from Tulsa did little to stem the tide, and the final 10 minutes were just as lopsided.  Ultimately, the biggest reason for their defeat was poor shot selection and execution- the Shock shot only 29.3% in field goals, while the Mercury shot 53.4%, and they fell 91-67.

It was a disappointing end to Tulsa’s first and last playoff run as the team gets ready to head over to Dallas for the 2016 season.  This was the Shock’s 6th year in Tulsa after having been brought in from Detroit, during which fans suffered disappointing season after disappointing season.  It would have been nice if they’d been able to force a third game, or at least if they hadn’t been blown out on their home court.