NEW YORK — The Phoenix Mercury’s second-half woes continued Wednesday against the New York Liberty.
May 27, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty forward Leonie Fiebich (13) tries to drive past Phoenix Mercury forward Noemie Brochant (1) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Advertisement
After finishing the first half with a 43-42 lead, it seemed Phoenix was playing cohesively on both ends of the floor. Despite free-throw trouble — going 8-for-14 from the line — timely shotmaking and defense were enough for a slight edge over New York.
Then came the third quarter.
Once again, the defense slipped and the offense could not keep pace with the Liberty, as New York went on a dominant 23-0 run over the final 5:18 of the quarter. The Mercury committed nine turnovers in that same period and trailed by 17 entering the fourth.
May 27, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard-forward Kahleah Copper (2) looks to pass the ball as New York Liberty guard Rebekah Gardner (7) defends during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Advertisement
That was enough for the game to slip out of reach, as New York secured an 84-74 win and handed Phoenix its fourth straight loss. Too often during this skid, the Mercury have shown flashes of competitive basketball for long stretches, only to watch a single quarter completely change the trajectory of the game.
Errant passes, rushed possessions and poor spacing fueled New York’s attack, allowing the Liberty to seize full control.
The third-quarter meltdown also overshadowed the season debut of Monique Akoa Makani, who was on a minutes restriction as a starter. She finished with nine points, four assists and two rebounds in 19 minutes.
May 27, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones (35) looks to shoot the ball as Phoenix Mercury guard-forward Kahleah Copper (2) and forward-center Natasha Mack (4) defend during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Advertisement
Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack added 19 and 14 points, respectively, but Phoenix’s latest collapse continued a troubling trend.
Rather than building momentum off competitive stretches against one of the league’s top teams, the Mercury are left searching for answers about composure and execution late in games.
The skid matters because the losses are beginning to look very similar. The Mercury have struggled to sustain execution for a full 40 minutes, and repeated breakdowns are turning winnable stretches into heartbreaking losses. A nine-turnover quarter against the Liberty was never going to work in Phoenix’s favor.
As Phoenix continues searching for answers, consistency may be the biggest concern if it hopes to avoid more quarters like this moving forward.
Advertisement
The Mercury will remain in New York for one more game before heading home, facing the Liberty again Friday at 4:30 p.m.
