Takeaways from Phoenix Mercury’s season opener in Las Vegas

The sport of basketball is a game of runs, driven by swings in momentum and the collective energy of players and fans alike. But what is just as important is a level of consistent execution throughout the duration of a game, something that is driven by a combination of cohesion and synergy. The Phoenix Mercury hung their hats on resilience throughout the course of their season opener in Las Vegas, but couldn’t string together a sustained run to carry them to the finish line.

After going down by 15 points heading into the second quarter, Phoenix rallied in the second to cut the deficit to just one heading into halftime. However, Las Vegas’ well-oiled machine was on full display in the second half, holding a chokehold over the Mercury that they simply couldn’t weasel their way out of. For a new-look Phoenix team in Nate Tibbetts’ first game as head coach, it was a valiant effort, yet ultimately not enough to topple the back-to-back champions.

Although the Mercury couldn’t overcome the adversity on Tuesday, a matchup against such an experienced squad this early in the season will only pay dividends in the future.

“I am super proud that it could have been really easy in the first quarter to say that we were a little overwhelmed just with the atmosphere and how fast they were playing,” said first-year head coach Nate Tibbetts following the contest. “I was super proud of how we stuck together and we kept flying around and competing. We had a chance to get a stop, that’s all you can ask for on the road against a team that’s been together and we are a new group. We need these challenges early to help us down the road.”

Phoenix couldn’t put together a full 40 minutes of consistent play, but among the struggles, there were certainly positives to take away. Here are three takeaways from the Mercury’s season opener in Las Vegas:

New players stepping up

Phoenix added six new players to the roster in the off-season, and four of them came to play, as Natasha Cloud, Kahleah Copper, Rebecca Allen and Natasha Mack all had their imprints on tonight’s contest.

Of the four, Copper scored the most points with 19, despite shooting 36% from the field. However, Copper’s spurts of offensive creation was on full display, as she showed her ability to get to her spots in the mid-range and make the right reads offensively. As Phoenix looks to get back to its glory days, a veteran guard like Copper will be an important part to filling the gaps.

Cloud showed her ability as an all-around threat at the guard position, scoring 14 points while pulling down eight rebounds and dishing out seven assists. Another veteran guard, Cloud showcased her advanced feel as Phoenix’s floor general, while navigating her way through screens and playing tenacious defense.

Allen also scored 14 points herself, 10 of which coming in the second quarter. Allen showcased her ability to catch fire and score in bunches, whether that be from catch and shoot opportunities or creating off of a few dribbles. Allen may not be the most diverse scorer, but a sharpshooter and spark plug that can certainly contribute.

Of the newcomers who logged minutes, Mack played the fewest minutes and scored the fewest points, but she dished out five assists and tallied three blocks. Mack has yet to see much action in the WNBA, where she played just four games in 2021 and didn’t see the floor again until last night. The former Big-12 Defensive Player of the Year showcased her presence as a rim protector in Brittney Griner’s absence, while showcasing her passing chops in various dribble handoff actions. If Mack can sustain this, it seems that Phoenix has found a diamond in the rough with Griner sidelined due to a toe fracture.

Although Phoenix lost this outing, there were definitely some bright spots when evaluating the four newcomers that set foot on the hardwood, something that Phoenix should benefit from if sustained.

Griner’s injury proven to be a critical loss

Losing one of the best defensive players in the league’s history is never an easy feat to overcome, and that was proven in Phoenix’s opener. Although Mack showed that she may be a hidden gem, A’ja Wilson had her beat in nearly every scenario. Whether it was Phoenix running a zone or playing Wilson one-on-one, there was no answer for the two-time MVP, as Wilson scored 30 points on 45% from the field.

There wasn’t a single player on the floor for Phoenix that could keep up with Wilson’s combination of size and speed, along with her diverse scoring repertoire that has allowed her to wreak havoc throughout her career. Now, it’s never a guarantee that you’re going to slow down a player like Wilson, but the loss of Griner only hurts that much more in situations like this. Not having Griner as a presence on the weak-side proved to be detrimental.

Although the rebounding battle was even at 37 apiece, Phoenix not having its 6-foot-9 specimen on the glass only gave the Aces more opportunities to crash the glass and collect boards. This new-look Phoenix squad has a ceiling and a floor much higher than their 9-31 record last season, but with Griner out of action, it’ll be tough for Tibbetts to put the puzzle pieces together.

Experience gap proven to be wide

The average age for Phoenix’s roster is 29-years-old, which certainly isn’t young, but certainly isn’t too old. A bulk of the rostered players have valuable individual experience, but as a unit, have yet to fully gel. That’s expected out of a team that’s core was almost entirely revamped after last season, and there’s still ample time for Phoenix to find its footing. However, compared to a Las Vegas team that is returning nine players and has built continuity within its depth chart and coaching staff, there was a clear distinction between the two teams.

The final score only shows the Aces winning by nine, but it goes far beyond just that. The game was controlled by Las Vegas from start to finish, and although Phoenix went on a second quarter run and continued to fight, the Aces’ ability to control the game was evident. They knew when to slow it down, but also knew when to ramp up the speed. The players have past experience playing together, so everyone knew where to be in different sets. Basketball is a game of runs and execution – and the Aces reminded the world why they’ve hung up two banners in two consecutive seasons.

“Phoenix is good, it was exactly what I expected,” said Wilson postgame. “This lineup that they have, and this without BG, it’s pretty cool. I love the look of them, they have a different feel, it’s a different pace of speed, and it’s something that’s new that I’ve seen out of this Phoenix team, so I give my utmost respect to them with the way that they’re playing right now, and like I said, this is without their superstar center.”

As aforementioned above, Tibbetts sees this as a test that will help Phoenix grow as a unit as the seasons progresses. After all, it’s unfair to fully judge this team for its miscues throughout the game given its situation. However, a loss is a loss, and Phoenix now finds itself 0-1 on the young season. Now, it’s back to the drawing board for Tibbetts’ squad, as they get set to return to the Footprint Center on Saturday to host the Atlanta Dream.

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Justin LaCertosa covers Phoenix Sports News for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @LaCertosaSports