Breanna Stewart battled on one wholesome leg. Homegrown star Sabrina Ionescu tried to create a spark to ensure not less than yet one more Barclays Heart playoff sport in a possible best-of-five semifinals sequence.
However their efforts weren’t sufficient. After blowing Recreation 1, the Mercury accomplished a reverse sweep with a 79-73 Recreation 3 win on Friday night time.
The superteam Liberty didn’t turn out to be simply the fourth WNBA franchise to win back-to-back titles. There can be a brand new WNBA champion topped in October because the Liberty head right into a winter offseason crammed with uncertainties if there’ll even be a season in 2026 (potential lockout).
“What’s going through my mind is ‘it’s tough,’” Stewart stated postgame. “Only one team gets to feel good at the end of their season, and this year, we weren’t that team. And it really, really hurts, and I think it’ll continue to hurt for days, weeks, months from now, but at the same time, like, really proud of the group.”
The chief continued to credit score her workforce on how they stayed resilient via “all the sh-t” they skilled in 2025.
“I mean, it hurts, but I wouldn’t want to have any season like this with anybody else,” Stewart stated.
Down the stretch, Stewart, who once more performed on a sprained left MCL, tried a 2023 MVP-type efficiency to will her workforce to victory with most of her teammates ineffective in a do-or-die matchup.
Each Liberty level within the fourth quarter was scored by Stewart. The 6-4 star appeared shocked not understanding of the feat when it was talked about postgame.
“[It’s] what you see from Stewie every night,” Ionescu stated when requested to explain Stewart’s virtually heroic efficiency. “I mean, nothing different. You know, her ability to do everything continue to shoot, pass, rebound, defend. I mean, one of the greatest to ever play the game, and she’s still playing it. So for me, it’s an honor to be able to watch what she does every day, how she leads by example, how I can have a player to look up to, like her on my team, and going to war with her every day.”
Stewart scored 14 of her 30 factors within the fourth, using her elite size on the opposite finish to spark alternatives on offense.
The late takeover featured turnarounds, and-1s, pullup jumpers — you identify it.
Nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient as Alyssa Thomas’ triple-double — 20 factors, 11 rebounds and 11 assists — and Satou Sabally’s team-high 23 factors and 12 rebounds had been simply sufficient to outlast the defending champions.
After Friday’s efficiency, Thomas now owns 5 of the seven triple-doubles in WNBA playoff historical past.
“AT is incredible,” Stewart stated. “I think the way that she’s really kind of perfected her game to be a nightmare all over the court, whether it’s rebounding or dishing or getting downhill. Like, coming to Phoenix was probably one of the best decisions of her career, if you ask her, I just feel like they’re using her incredibly well.”
The Liberty, although, had an opportunity to tie down three with 56.3 seconds remaining in regulation.
Natasha Cloud tossed an inbounds go meant for Stewart slicing to the rim, however Thomas — Phoenix’s do-it-all MVP candidate — swatted the go off the backboard and into Natasha Mack’s fingers.
Kahleah Copper then scored to place her workforce up 5 with 32.8 seconds remaining in regulation. It was the dagger that put the sport out of attain. And it arrange a second-round sequence between No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx and No. 4 seed Mercury.
The Mercury fought for all 4 quarters whereas the Liberty began sluggish.
To start out, it appeared one workforce was conscious Friday’s Recreation 3 was an elimination sport whereas the opposite carried out prefer it was a preseason exhibition.
Phoenix once more dominated in transition and gained the first-quarter free throw battle, 10-2. It contributed to a 12-4 to finish the primary because the Liberty trailed by seven.
The Mercury had been faster to each rebound and 50-50 ball.
They closed out possessions whereas the Liberty lacked urgency to disclaim Phoenix offensive rebound alternatives. The primary-half disparity was apparent: 7-0 in favor of the Mercury on the offensive glass. Finally, the Mercury totaled eight offensive boards and 49 whole in Recreation 3. The Liberty completed with 33 rebounds (two offensive).
Phoenix regarded to take cost within the second like they did of their dominant Recreation 2 win in Brooklyn.
However Ionescu charged her workforce again with 12 second-quarter factors of her personal to assist her workforce enter halftime down by simply 4, 45-41. She entered halftime with 14 factors whereas Stewart contributed 14 of her personal (eight within the second) whereas trying a lot better on the ground with a sprained left MCL.
After three quarters, the Liberty trailed, 60-59.
From there, it was all as much as Stewart.
Emma Meesseman, the Liberty’s key midseason pickup, was ineffective (zero factors on three pictures) in Recreation 3 like she’s been for a lot of the first-round sequence.
Jonquel Jones obtained known as for a technical foul in Recreation 3 whereas seeming annoyed all through the matchup. She completed with three factors on 1-of-10 taking pictures to go together with eight rebounds. Apart from Stewart’s and Ionescu’s mixed 55 factors, the remainder of the Liberty workforce scored simply 21 factors on 32 pictures.
With most of her workforce ineffective, Stewart dominated her matchup in opposition to DeWanna Bonner. She vowed to show in a greater efficiency than Wednesday’s poor Recreation 2 — and she or he did.
Ionescu additionally made good on her promise.
However there was nobody else to look to for a season-saving efficiency. The Liberty are now not champions.
The loss will sting.
And it’ll sting for for much longer if there’s no 2026 WNBA season attributable to a lockout.
Initially Printed: September 19, 2025 at 11:41 PM EDT
