2010 phoenix mercury playoff media guide - WNBA.com

2010 REGULAR SEASON
THREE STRAIGHT LOSSES
2010 PHOENIX MERCURY POSTSEASON MEDIA GUIDE
On June 25 the Mercury fell to the Connecticut Sun for the second time in six days and dropped its third consecutive game of the season.
The three-game setback snapped a streak of 58 consecutive regular season games without losing three straight for Phoenix dating
back to July 10-15, 2008. On July 1 the Washington Mystics handed the Mercury its third consecutive loss at home, snapping a streak
of 74 consecutive games in the Valley of the Sun without losing three straight dating back to the end of the 2005 season and the beginning
of 2006.
EARLY SIGNS OF SUCCESS?
Did you know that in the past two seasons, the Mercury is 24-9 when leading at halftime? In 2009 Phoenix was 13-2 when leading at
the break and the club was 11-7 on such occasions in 2010.
IT’S NOT OVER TIL ITS OVER
Thanks to ―The System‖ you can‘t count the Mercury out until the final buzzer sounds. In four losses in 2010, the club showed its
resiliency by overcoming double-digit fourth-quarter deficits to nearly steal the win and on July 24 the Mercury trailed Minnesota by
as many as 14 in the fourth quarter and eventually won in double overtime. Here‘s a breakdown of those comebacks.
GAME SCORE (TIME LEFT) CUT LEAD TO (TIME LEFT) RESULT
5/22 vs. Seattle 71-82 (4:08) 82-82 (0:00) L 89-95 (OT)
5/28 vs. Atlanta 75-92 (4:41) 91-92 (:40.2) L 93-96
6/1 at Minnesota 61-77 (5:56) 82-88 (:15.4) L 82-92
6/20 vs. Connecticut 67-84 (10:00) 87-86 (4:53)* L 94-96
7/24 at Minnesota 90-76 (7:35) 100-100 (0:00) W 127-124 (2OT)
MAYHEM IN MINNESOTA
2010 Mercury Comebacks
*indicates the Mercury took the lead
In arguably one of the most exciting WNBA games of the season, Phoenix defeated Minnesota on July 24, 127-124, in double overtime
setting a new WNBA scoring record for the second consecutive game and the third time this season. In the process the two teams
combined for a league-record 251 points and the Mercury broke its own league record with 47 made field goals. Diana Taurasi also
scratched the record books with a perfect 14-of-14 effort from the free throw line, matching the WNBA record held by Lisa Leslie
(2000) and Tamika Catchings (2009).
OH, WHAT A DAY
On Wednesday, July 14 the WNBA featured four matinee games across the country including an epic matchup in Phoenix where the
Mercury took on the Storm. Due to playing in the Pacific time zone it was expected to finish later than the other three afternoon contests,
but it carried on longer than anticipated as the two clubs battled in a triple overtime thriller. Tying four other bouts as the second
longest game in WNBA history (Washington and Seattle played four overtime periods in 2001), the teams combined to break and
threaten several other records:
DIANA TAURASI‘s 44 points was a US Airways Center record and tied for the third most in WNBA history, falling just
three points shy of her own record set in a triple overtime game at Houston in 2006. It also marked her third career 40-point
effort surpassing the previous league best of two.
Taurasi attempted 33 field goals, matching her own league record from that 2006 marathon, and made 16, the second most in
franchise history.
CANDICE DUPREE and PENNY TAYLOR logged two of the longest outings in franchise history. Dupree matched the franchise
record with 52 minutes while Taylor tied the second most with 51.
The Mercury set a franchise record for most field goal attempts in a game with 98 and appeared to eclipse the league record
until the Storm recorded 100 attempts. The two teams combined for 198 attempts, 10 more than the previous league record
set in the Phoenix-Houston game.
45