The W Genesis: Phoenix Mercury: Run To The 1998 Finals
In 1998, the WNBA was heating up. The league was coming off of a strong inaugural season the previous year. The Houston Comets showed dominance as they won the first-ever championship while other players shined for their respective teams. As successful as 1997 was for the WNBA, fans couldn’t wait to see what the next year brought.
The Comets’ run to a championship was not an easy one, to say the least. Other contenders across the WNBA were also on the hunt for a title. One of those teams was the Phoenix Mercury. The Mercury were a team that was just as talented as every other contender. They featured star players and a team who competed on both ends of the floor.
Who Were The Mercury?
Before we dive into their greatness, let’s take a look at how the Mercury’a roster was constructed. Credit is given to the front office for building a team that showed strength in every aspect of basketball. The Mercury were led by head coach Cheryl Miller. Miller’s incredible basketball IQ was what the Mercury needed. While she’s widely respected for her legendary college career at USC, she also became a great leader who was a great voice in the locker room.
The Mercury were led by an Ole Miss legend named Jennifer Gillom, who was a respected offensive player with her size and versatility. Phoenix was also led by an elite point guard named Michele Timms, who was a multiple-time champion in the WNBL. Phoenix filled the rest of their roster with key players like Bridget Pettis, Toni Foster, Umeki Webb, and several others.
The Mercury had all of the tools to win a title in 1997. Unfortunately, the New York Liberty stood in their way by eliminating them in a single-game elimination. It was a gut-wrenching defeat for the Mercury. They thought they prepared all season for their playoff moment but it never happened. Luckily, lessons were learned from their elimination. The Mercury were destined to return in 1998 stronger and ready to compete.
Season’s Dominance
Phoenix was on a mission from the jump. They began the season by winning their first three games while also winning seven of their first 10 games. Not only were the Mercury off to a hot start but they were winning against tough contenders. One of their first challenges of the season was against the Comets. Although it was only their fifth game of the season, the Mercury wanted to make a statement against the reigning WNBA Champions.
The early matchup against the Comets was a test. It showed how much the Mercury have grown mentally compared to the previous season. Although the previous year was a winning season, Phoenix had games where they were outmatched by opposing playoff teams. Coach Miller made it an emphasis that the team had to be in attack mode and make hustle plays that would lead them to a win.
Luckily, the Mercury made hustle plays in their 69–66 victory at home. The biggest key behind their win was controlling the boards. Phoenix outrebounded Houston 33–29 while securing eight offensive boards in the process. The hustle plays of securing second-chance possessions helped the Mercury in the long run. Offensively, it was Bridget Pettis who led the way with 20 points, followed by Gillom with 16 and Foster with 12.
An early season win against the defending champions was big for the Phoenix Mercury. It became a confidence booster and showed that they could compete with any team in the WNBA. The momentum continued for the Mercury through the rest of the season. They showed their versatility as they had weapons that could torch defenders on offense while also remaining physical on defense.
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The improvements continue to show in the numbers for Phoenix. They finished top two in points scored as well as third in points allowed. The production they displayed on defense during the season was night and day compared to the previous year. The Mercury won 19 games on the season as they secured the third best record in the league.
Playoff Action: Road To The Finals
The WNBA Playoffs was the brightest stage. It was a stage that the Mercury were proud to be on once again. This was an opportunity for them to show their development and how they can fight through adversity. The Mercury faced the Cleveland Rockers in the Semifinals. Although the Playoff format changed from a single-game elimination to a three-game series, the Mercury approached the postseason treating every game like it was their last.
Phoenix set the tone for how they wanted their postseason to go in game one. They took a 10-point win on their home floor behind 21 points from Gillom. Three players scored in double-figures while they made big plays to come out on top. The win was a confidence booster for the Mercury as they were able to deliver a big playoff win on their home floor. The next challenge was to win on the road as the series shifted to Cleveland.
Winning on the road was not an easy challenge. The Rockers were a great home team, a team that always got the best out of their players. Cleveland responded in game two with a 67–66 win despite 27 points from Gillom. It was a matchup that was decided on the last possession and didn’t go in the Mercury’s favor. Despite the loss, this team felt good about themselves heading into game three. They outscored the Rockets 42–35 in the second half and overcame their slow start. Game three was a do-or-die situation that the Mercury prepared for all season.
The Mercury were not heading back home without securing a spot in the WNBA Finals. With that being said, they responded with hunger and determination to finish the game on top. Despite a struggling offensive performance from Gillom, Pettis stepped up to the plate with 27 points and 11 rebounds to lead the way. Phoenix showed their dominance in the second half as they outscored Cleveland 39–25. Their ability to depend on one another was a key for them keeping their season alive.
Finals Showdown vs Houston
With one team out of the way, the Mercury had to worry about another team. The defending champion Houston Comets were back where they were supposed to be. Let’s be honest, the Mercury and the rest of the world expected to see Houston back in the Finals. They finished the regular season with a 27–3 record while being more dominant than they were the previous year. The Mercury were confident heading into this series. They knew that if they made all of the hustle plays, they would have the edge in this series.
Once again, the Mercury protected home court as they stole game one with a 54–51 victory. This was by far the best game of the series as both teams made big plays down the stretch. The contest was physical and both teams wanted to set the tone for the series. The Mercury overcame Cynthia Cooper’s 29-point explosion by making sure to slow the rest of the team down and keep them from getting involved.
Phoenix was one win away from their first championship. They showed to be the team playing with more passion and they were hungry for success. However, nothing was safe when the Comets were on the other side of the bracket. They were a championship team that knew how to turn things around. It’s safe to say the Comets did just that in the series.
The series transitioned to Houston for games two and three. That’s where the Comets had an advantage and used it against the Mercury. They responded in game two with an overtime win led by 63 points combined from Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, and Tina Thompson. Comets’ defensive intensity elevated as they became more physical and limited easy shots on that end of the floor. The Mercury shot 38 percent from the floor in game two. After game two, the pressure was on coach Cheryl Miller to make adjustments before game three.
The momentum continued for the Comets as they were on their way to another title. They had the home crowd on their side and used their experience as a huge x-factor. As their big three continued to shine, the Comets got offensive production from their supporting cast as well. However, the Mercury were not going down without a fight. Both teams began to trade momentum back and forth throughout the second half.
Gillom was destined to lead her team to a win. She did a great job of making control offensively and kept the Mercury in the game. Gillom had 20 points in the contest while Michelle Brogan led the way for Phoenix with 24. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Comets’ execution down the stretch. In the end, Houston held the trophy up once again as they secured an 80–71 victory to repeat as champions.
Conclusion
It was easy for the Mercury to put their heads down after losing the last two games in the WNBA Finals. However, the 1998 season had more positive results than negative. As a team, the Mercury proved they were a championship contender. They shocked the world with an improved season while advancing to the championship round. At this point, Phoenix wasn’t done yet. Despite falling short, the team believed that their next chance to win was right around the corner.
