Wubble. Ball. Is. Different.
When looking at the Phoenix Mercury’s roster, two names stick out as the ones you most likely want with the ball in their hands in the final seconds to get your team to win.
There is, of course, Diana Taurasi and there is also Skylar Diggins-Smith. Brittney Griner is another name, but she had to leave the wubble earlier in the season for personal reasons.
They are also the ones that opposing teams game plan for at the end of games to have the ball in their hands. But as if 2020 has not already thrown us curveball after curveball after curveball, the Washington Mystics got 2020’d right out of the wubble thanks to someone for the Mercury who was not Dee or Sky.
LET’S (NOT) GO HOME! @SheyP11‘s A HERO!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/FfA9UhEVvW
— Now you know Shey Peddy (@PhoenixMercury) September 16, 2020
Can the real Playoff P please stand up? pic.twitter.com/VHX5GZV02p
— Now you know Shey Peddy (@PhoenixMercury) September 16, 2020
What had to make it even sweeter for Shey Peddy was that she was cut by the Mystics earlier in the season…only for her to break hearts of hoops fans in the DMV.
Her stat line for the game included 12 points and three steals.
Early in the fourth quarter, it appeared as if Washington had this one all sealed. It was 73-61 with just over nine minutes remaining prior to the Mercury embarking on a 17-0 binge that got them back in the game, assuming a 78-73 lead.
With the Mercury ahead 82-81 with under a minute to play, an Emma Meesseman layup and a made free throw from Leilani Mitchell combined to give the Mystics an 84-82 edge before Peddy hit paydirt.
goooooooooood morning! pic.twitter.com/m0v5uVgO6K
— Now you know Shey Peddy (@PhoenixMercury) September 16, 2020
Diggins-Smith scored 24 with five rebounds and six assists. Taurasi tallied 23 and dished out six. Kia Vaughn scored 12 with four rebounds and Brianna Turner hauled in 11 rebounds.
Thank you for all the support this season Mystics fans! ❤️#TogetherDC #ApplyPressure pic.twitter.com/3kRwroqur5
— Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) September 16, 2020
Mitchell led all scorers with 25. Meesseman finished with 18. Ariel Atkins scored 13 and Myisha Hines-Allen added 11 with nine rebounds.
One down!#SUNState pic.twitter.com/WzQ3snzHnZ
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) September 16, 2020
How quickly can things change in the WNBA? Both teams that participated in last year’s Finals began the playoffs in single-elimination contests in the first round. While the Mystics suffered defeat thanks to Peddy’s buzzer-beating game-winner, the other team from that Finals, the Connecticut Sun had much better luck.
When all 12 teams entered the wubble, Connecticut was in New York Liberty territory at the bottom of the standings as it appeared early that not having Jonquel Jones plus all the departures from the offseason would be too much for Curt Miller’s Sun.
But then we remembered the Sun still have Alyssa Thomas, whose 28 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists left her two dimes shy of a triple-double, leading Connecticut to a 78-61 victory over the Chicago Sky.
How does she make it look so easy?! Oh wait, it’s Alyssa Thomas😏#SUNState pic.twitter.com/CNPPDQocld
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) September 16, 2020
She said what she said🗣️#SUNState | @athomas_25 pic.twitter.com/iANRFsWpUd
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) September 16, 2020
Remove the third quarter, and we have a close game between these two teams. Except the third quarter remains – and in that third stanza, there was too much Sun in the Sky for the Chi – Connecticut outscored Chicago 27-11.
DeWanna Bonner’s 23 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals proved exactly why Curt Miller and Amber Cox wanted her in the offseason. Kaila Charles also came through with 13 points off the bench while Brionna Jones helped the Connecticut cause with 12 points and eight rebounds.
Thank you, #skytown!
We 💙 you! pic.twitter.com/3Je3Uf3NE9
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) September 16, 2020
The Sky, who were without Diamond DeShields and Azura Stevens, were led by Allie Quigley’s 19. Kahleah Copper chimed in with 17 points and four assists. Gabby Williams added 16 plus five rebounds with Courtney Vandersloot finishing with 12 points and six assists.
With these results, the Minnesota Lynx await a get-together with Phoenix while the Los Angeles Sparks will face off against the Sun – the same Connecticut Sun that swept LA in commanding fashion from last year’s semifinals.
