With in-form rookies Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen rolling into town, Nate Tibbetts knew the Phoenix Mercury were in for a hard-nosed battle. But even with the warning signs flashing bright red, nothing could prepare fans for the offensive chaos that followed. Still, the game found its soul on the defensive end—and in Tibbetts’ words, some of what happened out there was simply “unexplainable.”
Mercury started the game poorly as the basket seemed to have a lid on it and the paint became a no-gone zone. Shooting just 2-of-11 in the first quarter, their offense looked lost. And while they clawed their way back for a 62-68 win, Tibbetts wasn’t ready to sugarcoat the mess. “Yeah, it was just kind of unexplainable in that in that first half.” he said. “Even down the stretch we missed miss some layups and bunnies that that we usually make and to be a good team, which we want to do, we want to get to the rim and we got to finish those.”
Missed bunnies, missed chances-yes- but Tibbetts made sure the other part of his message didn’t go missed as well.
Because, despite everything, the Mercury refused to let frustration dictate their fight. How often do you see that? So, Tibbetts rightly tipped his hat to the team’s ability to keep their heads up when the shots wouldn’t fall. “I’ve been on a lot of teams where we’ve missed shots and you know, the frustration affects your defense. I didn’t get that feeling from our group today or today.” Honestly, it is not easy to turn defense into your only survival when the offense is nowhere to be seen. But, as Makani said, “Just keep playing the game“. And they did just that, recording 15 steals as a team and forcing 30 Mystics turnovers, making the HC further say, “Our defense won us that game“.
Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said the Mercury’s missed layups were “unexplainable.”#WNBA pic.twitter.com/Z96VfY8J6j
— Desert Wave Media (@DesertWaveCo) May 26, 2025
Alyssa Thomas summed up the mindset in less than ten words, saying, “If we’re not gonna score, they’re not gonna score”.
Coming to AT, while she wasn’t having the best game according to her standards, she was still writing history and everyone almost saw the poetic praise of it coming from the team’s social media handle. “500 reasons to keep your head on a swivel,” PHX’s X account posted as Thomas reached her 500th career steal, becoming only the 20th player in league’s history to do so. However, looking at the overall game, Thomas seemed to struggle a bit as she could total only 11 points + 8 rebounds in 34 minutes. Yes, these stats are decent but not Alyssa typical. After all, within Phoenix current roster, she’s second in scoring behind Satou Sabally.
Her struggles, though, did not last long. As the end neared, her defensive abilities kept shooting up. And the reason wasn’t Tibbetts’ fiery pep talk voice in her head, but Mystics’ rookie Kiki Iriafen.
“Kiki, you know she did something to AT to wake her up on a Sunday afternoon. I don’t know if you wanna step to that but AT, she’s just an elite level defender.” Coach Tibbetts said. While their frontcourt battle continued throughout the game, one particular moment saw Alyssa Thomas committing a loose-ball foul on Iriafen, which led to AT being awarded a flagrant-1. The play highlighted the intensity of the game from both sides, but hyped AT up as she forced two crucial turnovers from Iriafen in the final quarter. Upon hearing comments from her coach, Thomas jokingly played it off. “I’m always awake. I’m always ready to play,” she said.
Fair enough. Tibbetts should have known that better than anyone since he’d admitted it just days ago–“AT’ cares about one thing and that’s winning….She wants to do it with toughness and grit.”
Let’s not forget the fandom though. It was their cheers, too, that made it all possible. After all, the team was running on fumes before tip-off, as AT admitted. But just when it seemed like the Mercury might hit snooze for good, the crowd at PHX Arena began brewing their espresso shots. Tibbetts hence couldn’t help but crack a smile as he gave credit where it was due: They (the crowd) were a big reason and our players didn’t give up and our fans didn’t give up. When you do that, good things happen.”
Talking about due credits, Tibbetts’ didn’t forget the what kept the chain reaction flowing into the team. “We just kept fighting and feeding off AT’s energy and toughness,” he said. “When you have her out there, you always have a chance.” Still, one thing Coach Tibbetts didn’t say—but we’re pretty sure he was thinking—is that he’d love nothing more than to have his full squad back sooner rather than later.
Mercury awaits the recovery of its reinforcements
Although the team’s efforts to start the season have been commendable, the Phoenix Mercury are facing serious injury concerns in their camp, starting with their leading scorer.
Kahleah Copper is undeniably the most significant name on that injury list, and the one that sends undeniable shockwaves through their entire game plan. Reports indicate she’s sidelined for a substantial period, likely in the 4-6 week range, following a knee arthroscopy. This isn’t just losing a player; it’s losing a cornerstone.
Copper was brought in to be more than just an All-WNBA caliber scorer; she was positioned as the new vocal leader and the emotional engine for this franchise, especially after the departures of Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner. When you remove her dynamic offensive capabilities, her clutch playmaking, and her on-court intensity, the Mercury are forced to fundamentally recalibrate their offensive identity.
Hence, the burden on their marquee offseason acquisitions, Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally, instantly magnifies. They’re not just expected to be stars; they’re now tasked with shouldering an even greater share of the offensive creation and leadership mantle, much sooner and more intensely than envisioned.
Compounding the issues, particularly in the frontcourt, is the absence of Natasha Mack, who is dealing with a lower back injury that will keep her out for approximately two to three weeks. Mack is a crucial returning piece, known for her defensive tenacity and rebounding. In a post-Taurasi era, every ounce of interior depth and toughness is vital. Mack’s absence, though perhaps shorter than Copper’s, further thins their rotation in the paint and puts more pressure on players like Kalani Brown and the newly integrated pieces to control the boards and protect the rim.
With Copper set to return by the end of June, the tough part is far from over for the Mercury. But if Nate Tibbetts’ side manages to keep themselves in the Playoff equation by the time Copper returns, she could upgrade the offense majorly and instantly. AT & Sabally have a challenge at hand till then.
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