How The Mercury's Preseason Helped Them Turn Things Around

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The Phoenix Mercury had a nice 2013 season, as they finished the year with a record of 19-15. They made the playoffs that season, and they faced the Los Angeles Sparks and the Minnesota Lynx during that time.

The Mercury defeated the Sparks in the first round, as they beat them 86-75 in the first game and 78-77 in the third. Then, the Lynx beat them as they won both games.

Phoenix had a good year, and by the end of the regular season, the Mercury were third in the Western Conference. The only teams that were ahead of them were the Lynx and the Sparks. Minnesota had a record of 26-8 and Los Angeles finished 24-10.

Sep 23, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) defends a pass by Los Angeles Sparks forward Marissa Coleman (25) in the second half of game three of the Western Conference Semi-Finals against the Phoenix Mercury at the Staples Center. Phoenix won 78-77. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

In the first game of the season, the Mercury lost to the Chicago Sky. The Sky beat them 102-80, and Diana Taurasi led the team with 18 points. Phoenix started the season with a loss, but before that, they picked up a win in the preseason.

The Mercury faced a special opponent that year, as they faced Japan. They beat them 87-64, and Brittney Griner was the team’s leading scorer. She had 18 points, and she did a bit of everything. She had eight rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block.

Sep 29, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) is congratulated by teammates guard DeWanna Bonner (24) , center Brittney Griner (42) and forward Candice Dupree (4) against the Minnesota Lynx at US Airways Center. The Lynx defeated the Mercury 72-65. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images / Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

Candice Dupree was the team’s second-leading scorer, as she had 14 points. She led the team in rebounds with nine, and she also had an assist. The Mercury had two other players who scored in double figures, as DeWanna Bonner and Krystal Thomas had 10. Bonner also had three rebounds, two blocks and an assist. Thomas had four rebounds, two assists and a block.

Samantha Prahalis, a player the Mercury drafted the year before, did not score 10 or more points, but she was the team’s top facilitator. She had eight assists in that outing.

Sep. 21, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Samantha Prahalis (99) puts up a shot against the Minnesota Lynx guard Candice Wiggins (11) in the first half at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images / Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

On the other side, Michiko Miyamoto was Japan’s top performer with 15 points, two rebounds and an assist. Kumiko Oba had 11 points, and Cenjing Wang had 10 points, three rebounds and an assist.

After that game, Griner, the Mercury’s new addition, had a strong season. She led the league in blocks, and she was a member of the All-Rookie Team. Things were starting to turn around for the Mercury, and after this season, they accomplished something special.

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