Throwback Review as Mercury Miss The Playoffs For The First Time

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The Phoenix Mercury finished the 1999 season with a record of 15-17. They encountered some obstacles that season, including a six-game losing streak in the first month. That streak began with a loss to the Cleveland Rockers, and Phoenix continued to struggle against teams like the New York Liberty, the Minnesota Lynx and the Los Angeles Sparks.

Phoenix’s 1998 season was special, as it was the first time that the franchise reached the WNBA Finals. They beat the Rockers to get there, and then they lost to the Houston Comets.

Jun 18, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of a WNBA basketball on the court during the game between the Washington Mystics and the Los Angeles Sparks at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

That was a successful season, and unfortunately, the Mercury did not capitalize on it. They missed the playoffs in 1999, and they had to bounce back in 2000.

Before the 1999 season began, the Mercury added some new talent. They had four draft picks, and they drafted Edna Campbell, Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil, Lisa Harrison and Amanda Wilson.

The Mercury started their season with two losses, as they lost back-to-back games against the Sacramento Monarchs. The Monarchs beat them 96-85 in the first, and they beat them 74-64 in the second.

June 4, 2010; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Sparks head coach Jennifer Gillom reacts from the sidelines during the first half in at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images / Jennifer Stewart-Imagn Images

In the first game, the Mercury were led by Jennifer Gillom. She had 23 points, nine rebounds, three assists and a block. Then, Campbell had 22 points in her debut and Davis-Wrightsil had 15.

When it comes to the second game, Gillom was the leader with 29 points, and Bridget Pettis was second with 16 points. The Mercury star also had 15 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks. Pettis had four rebounds, two assists and two steals

May 26, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of a WNBA basketball on the court at the Staples Center during the game between the Seattle Storm and the Los Angeles Sparks. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It was a difficult year for the Mercury, and they ended the season with two losses. They lost to the Comets and the Utah Starzz in those games, and that hurt Phoenix’s playoff chances even more. So, for the first time in their early years, the Mercury were not a part of the postseason, and they had to prepare for next season.

While the Mercury had a chance to rest, the Phoenix Suns were in action, and unlike their WNBA counterpart, they made the playoffs. They finished the season with a record of 53-29, which made them fifth in the Western Conference. As far as their draft, they added Shawn Marion.

The Suns beat the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs, but they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers after that. The Lakers went on to win it all, and they won two more after that.

The Mercury and the Suns were in different spaces, but both of them were trying to win a championship.

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