Much needed to happen in the last three days for the Phoenix Mercury to earn a first-round bye in the WNBA playoffs.

Almost everything worked out.

The Mercury won in overtime Wednesday against Connecticut, which then lost to Atlanta on Friday, another piece of the puzzle for Phoenix. Also, Minnesota lost Thursday to Las Vegas, giving the Mercury a chance to take the No. 4 seed via a second tiebreaker with the Lynx.

But none of that mattered without a Mercury win over Seattle on Friday night.

And even with the league-leading Storm missing stars Breanna Stewart (foot) and Sue Bird (knee), they were way too much for the fatigued Mercury, playing their regular-season finale at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Seattle clamped down on Mercury scoring threats Diana Taurasi and Skylar Diggins-Smith for a 22-14 first-quarter lead then blew the game open with a 23-5 run to start the second. The second half was essentially a scrimmage ending in an 83-60 Storm win.

Diggins-Smith suffered an apparent leg injury with 2:20 left until halftime. She returned for the first two minutes of the third quarter then exited for good.

Taurasi did not play at all in the second half as Mercury coach Sandy Brondello chose to protect her thin roster and accept going into the playoffs as the No. 5 seed.

The Mercury (13-9) will play the No. 8 seed, still to be decided between Washington, Dallas and Atlanta, in a first round elimination game Tuesday. The winner advances to another elimination game in the second round Thursday, which for the Mercury would mean playing Minnesota, now assured of the No. 4 seed.

Under the current playoff format, created in 2016, the Mercury have never been higher than the No. 5 seed. Still, they reached the WNBA semifinals from 2016-18 before losing in the first round last year.

Storm stymies Mercury star guards

Seattle (18-3) easily won its seventh straight game to stay to remain in first place with one regular season game remaining against Las Vegas (16-4) on Sunday.

Jordin Canada and Mercedes Russell started for the Storm in place of Stewart and Bird.

Alysha Clark, Jewell Loyd and Canada sucked the life out of the Mercury from the outset with their defense on Taurasi and Diggins-Smith, who were a combined 1-9 overall and 0-6 from 3-point. 

The Mercury again were without forwards Alanna Smith (foot) and Nia Coffey (ankle). Their only available reserves — Sophie Cunningham, Shey Peddy and Alisia Jenkins — played extensively in the final three quarters.

The Mercury were 7-1 in their previous eight games going into Friday but lost for a second time to Seattle. The Storm won the first meeting 74-68 on Aug. 8 and now are 6-1 over the Mercury in the last seven regular season games.

Shatori Walker-Kimbrough led the Mercury with a career high 24 points and Sophie Cunningham added 10. Brianna Turner had 11 rebounds. 

The Storm had balanced scoring with six players scoring 10-13 points. 

Up next

The Mercury will make their eighth consecutive WNBA playoff appearance starting with a first round elimination game Tuesday against the No. 8 seed. Washington (7-13), Dallas (7-14) and Atlanta (7-14) still are battling for the final playoff spot going into the final weekend of the regular season

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 602-444-8053. Follow him on Twitter @jeffmetcalfe.

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