Final Score
Phoenix Mercury 85 — Indiana Fever 79
Phoenix closes the regular season on a high note, winning their fifth straight game and dealing Indiana a gut-wrenching blow.
Game Highlights
- Alyssa Thomas dominates: Just shy of a triple-double with 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists, Thomas was the heartbeat of the Mercury’s offense.
- DeWanna Bonner’s spark off the pine: She chipped in 19 crucial points off the bench, adding layers to Phoenix’s scoring threat.
- Kelsey Mitchell’s explosion: Despite the loss, Mitchell lit up the scoreboard with 29 points, including five triples—her firepower kept the Fever competitive.
- Mercury’s season impact: With this win, Phoenix ties for the second seed alongside Las Vegas and Atlanta, solidifying home-court edge in the playoffs.
- Playoff fallout: New York Liberty clinches a playoff spot thanks to this result, while Indiana now clings to the 8th seed—with three games left and uncertainty brewing.
- Locker room heat: Tensions flared postgame between Caitlin Clark (Fever) and former teammate DeWanna Bonner—adding emotional layers to a tightly contested season finale.
Clutch Crunch Take
This was a battle of wills. Phoenix leaned on veteran poise and depth; Indiana leaned on heart and hot shooting. The Mercury’s experience won out. As the playoffs loom, this isn’t just a win—it’s a statement that they belong among the contenders.
(Image credits: John Mac, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Image cropped)