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| (photo credit: youtube.com) |
These two squads met three times
during the regular season, with the Liberty taking two of those three games.
Both of these teams split the two games that were played in New York. The
Liberty defeated the Mercury 92-70 in the last meeting between these two on
Sept. 3. New York and Phoenix have met only one time in the postseason, and
that was in the semifinals in the WNBA’s inaugural season. New York defeated
Phoenix 59-41, to advance to the championship back in 1997.
Despite the fact
Phoenix was the last team to clinch a playoff berth, the Mercury have a potent
attack that pose a threat to any team. In their win over Indiana, Diana Taurasi
scored 20 points, Brittney Griner recorded 18 points, while DeWanna Bonner
added 18 points off the bench. New York has skidded into the playoffs, as they
enter Saturday’s game with a three-game losing streak. The Liberty were just
3-5 after the WNBA returned from its Olympic break.
The Mercury were just 5-12
on the road this season, but they were able to go into Indianapolis and defeat
the Fever. Tina Charles for New York and Griner for Phoenix will be two players who
will most certainly impact the game. Charles is a legitimate WNBA MVP candidate
after becoming the third player in WNBA history to lead the league in points
and rebounds.
Lauren Jackson and Chamique Holdsclaw were the two other players
to accomplish that feat. Charles has averaged 21 points and nine rebounds this
season, and she has the second highest usage rate in the league (30.7%). Griner
has averaged 17 points and seven rebounds since coming back from the Olympic
break. The game can be watched on NBATV.
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