PHOENIX — Opening nights in the Valley are always special, but this year, the Phoenix Mercury played their first home game of the season after playing two games in three days.
May 12, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Jovana Nogic (29) against the Minnesota Lynx in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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The Mercury came away with a split on their first road trip of the season, dominating the Las Vegas Aces on Saturday before falling to the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday. Although Monday was the club’s off day, Tuesday marked its third game in four days against a Minnesota Lynx team that had played only once this season.
Phoenix and Minnesota traded runs throughout the game, but the Mercury could not keep the score close in the final four minutes. Turnovers and an inability to come up with defensive stops allowed the Lynx to pull away for an 88-84 victory. Even with the roar of the X-Factor crowd, Phoenix appeared fatigued after so many games in such a short stretch.
May 12, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury center Kyara Linskens (31) reacts after a shot against the Minnesota Lynx in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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Now, with their next game not until Friday, the Mercury are taking a much-needed rest before returning to the court — something head coach Nate Tibbetts said was extremely important.
“We’ve got to understand that every night in this league, you’ve got to come to play,” he said postgame. “And I didn’t think for 40 minutes we competed at the level that we needed to. I don’t know if it was physical fatigue or mental fatigue. Three games in four nights is real to start the season. We had some good stretches, but we didn’t have the composure to finish out the game down the stretch.”
It was not just the demanding schedule Phoenix had to manage, but also the integration of new faces into the rotation — including Valériane Ayayi, who was cleared by FIBA to play earlier that day.
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“I feel like we’re one of the teams that’s still kind of trying to work everyone back in,” DeWanna Bonner said postgame. “We’ve got a lot of foreigners. We’re still missing [Monique Akoa-Makani], who’s coming in soon, so we’ve got to kind of get her integrated into things. So, yeah, just taking a breath, and everybody just, we’re here now.”
The Mercury have been one of the teams that have struggled to get a full roster on the court this season, with visa issues and prior commitments keeping key players away from the club. Combined with the condensed three-game stretch, Phoenix has been left trying to catch its breath.
Now, with a few days to regroup and readjust, the Mercury have time to make the necessary adjustments and get back in the win column.
May 12, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2) shoots the ball against Minnesota Lynx forward Nia Coffey (12) in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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The Mercury take on the Chicago Sky on Friday, May 15, at 7 p.m.
