Mercury fall to Aces despite DeWanna Bonner’s performance

DeWanna Bonner shows emotion during the Phoenix Mercury’s Game 3 meeting with the Las Vegas Aces Wednesday at Mortgage Matchup Center. (Photo courtesy of Phoenix Mercury)

PHOENIX – The WNBA Finals in Phoenix is a familiar stage for forward DeWanna Bonner, who won two championships with the Mercury in 2009 and 2014. Now, years later, she once again led the offensive charge for Phoenix in a comeback effort that ultimately fell short against the Las Vegas Aces Wednesday night, putting the Mercury one game away from being swept.

Down by 17 points to start the fourth quarter in Game 3, the Mercury looked dead in the water. However, a stark shift in offensive momentum, led primarily by Bonner off the bench, allowed for the Mercury to mount a rally and tie the game with just under two minutes left, before A’Ja Wilson worked her magic in the high-post at the buzzer to give the Aces a 90-88 win and a 3-0 series lead.

The Aces can capture their third WNBA title in four years with a victory Friday night at the newly named Mortgage Matchup Center in downtown Phoenix, with the Mercury hoping to ward off a sweep on their home court and send the series back to Las Vegas for Game 5 Sunday.

Bonner began the Finals series totaling just 14 points across Games 1 and 2, a slow start that would not deter her from pouring in a Mercury-high 25 points in Game 3.

“I knew in Game 3 I needed to be more aggressive,” Bonner said. “I felt like in the first two games in Vegas, I was a little hesitant, so I already had the mindset that I was going to come in and attack the paint today.”

Bonner, who previously played with the Mercury from 2009–2019, is in her first season back with the team after spending five seasons with the Connecticut Sun and half of the 2025 season with the Indiana Fever, where she was ultimately waived, allowing her to sign back with Phoenix.

After Mercury All-Star forward Satou Sabally left Game 3 with an injury in the fourth quarter – she was ruled out of Game 4 with a concussion, the team announced Thursday – it became clear that a new offensive engine needed to emerge for Phoenix. It’s a role Bonner had long been familiar with during her first stint with the Mercury, where she received three All-Star selections and three Sixth Woman of the Year awards.

As the Mercury launched a furious comeback, Bonner continuously found open driving lanes and attacked the basket, finishing through contact and attempting a game-high 13 free throws. In addition, she also spaced out and sank two 3-pointers, the second tying the game at 86-86 with just under two minutes to play.

“(Bonner) was fantastic,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. “Offensively, she was just fearless. She made big shots when we needed them. She got downhill, she got to the free throw line, and that’s why we went and got her – for these types of games.”

Bonner’s offensive performance was one of the key factors that allowed for Phoenix to mount an impressive fourth quarter comeback that ended up tying the game – a comeback that was also assisted by Mercury guard Kahleah Copper exploding for 11 points in just 1:20 late in the game.

Facing a near-insurmountable 0-3 series deficit, the Mercury had to play with a sense of urgency to keep their season alive, something Aces coach Becky Hammon was well aware of throughout the contest.

“You have a heightened emotional advantage if you’re Phoenix right now,” Hammon said. “They’re a very pissed-off locker room right now, I’d assume, and a good one. … It’s a lot of emotion and desperation on the other side, and that’s always hard to match up with.”