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The Phoenix Mercury were back in the playoffs in 2007, and it was the first time they made it since 2000. The Mercury added some new talent, and they helped the team make its way back to the postseason.
Phoenix added players like Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter, and in 2007, they led the Mercury to victory. The Mercury finished that season with a record of 23-11, and they went on a deep playoff run.
The playoffs began with a series against the Seattle Storm, and the Mercury beat them 2-0. Phoenix’s next opponent was the San Antonio Silver Stars, and the Mercury pulled off another sweep. Then, they had one more team in their way as they faced the Detroit Shock.
Detroit won the championship the year before, and while repeating was a possibility, Phoenix put an end to those hopes. The Mercury won that series, as they beat the Shock 3-2.
The Mercury won their first championship, and they were led by Pondexter. She was the first Mercury player to win Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP), and she averaged 22.0 points, 5.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals during those games.
Pondexter played well during the Finals, and in the first game, she finished with 27 points. The Mercury lost that game, as the Shock beat them 108-100. Phoenix had big performances, as Penny Taylor had 32 points. Then, Pondexter was the second-leading scorer.
Phoenix recovered from that loss, as Taurasi led the team to a 98-70 win. Pondexter had another nice performance in that game, as she had 18 points. Then, Pondexter had 13 points in the next game, and in the final two, she had 26 points in both outings.
The Mercury’s 2006 pick played her typical game, and she was scoring with ease. She had 110 points in that series, and overall, she scored 215 points in Phoenix’s playoff run.
Taurasi and Taylor were right behind Pondexter, as Phoenix’s No. 1 pick had 99 points in the Finals and Taylor had 93.
Phoenix’s stars were on a mission, and their play in the Finals helped the team make history. This was just the beginning for this group, and while they missed the playoffs the following year, they won another championship in 2009. Pondexter and her teammates gave it their all, and in the end, she took home a special award.
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