The Phoenix Mercury split their four-game road trip on Thursday, losing to the Dallas Wings, 85-70. After the first three games looked like the team was getting back to its 2025 identity, head coach Nate Tibbetts thought otherwise following the loss.
“This was a step backwards tonight as far as just our approach and our togetherness and what it takes to win in this league,” he explained via Wendy Lopez of Burn City Sports.
Unfortunately, this has been the mantra throughout 2026: teams simply playing better, but there is no sense of urgency on Phoenix’s end. It’s happened enough that Alyssa Thomas gave the Mercury a reality check weeks prior.
The issues are everywhere, but it starts with defense. They have a bottom-five defensive rating, which is ironic considering Thomas’s defensive prowess.
Then again, it can’t fall all on one player: it’s a collective effort. Even with the Mercury re-signing key defensive pieces hasn’t been enough to steer the ship.
As Tibbetts alluded to, it comes down to that innate desire to win. It’s what the 2025 team did, and this year’s rendition has more returners who understand the philosophy.
Questions keep rising amid a 4-10 start. Phoenix has the third-worst record in the league, and as of writing this, they would miss the playoffs entirely.
14 games into the season shouldn’t sound the alarm quite yet, but the manner in which they are losing might have that bell ring sooner.
Going back to the head coach’s quote, is there anything to point the finger at? Defense, coaching, outworking their opponents, or something else. Worst of all, it might be a combination of all those things.
Hopefully, Thursday’s regression can turn into progression, as the Mercury kick off a three-game homestand, with some much-needed time in between.
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