Flashback: Mercury Begin Path To Championship With Win Over Storm

The Phoenix Mercury won their first WNBA championship in 2007 by defeating the Detroit Shock 3-2 in the Finals. This victory came against the defending champion Shock, who had beaten the Mercury twice during the regular season (87-84 and 111-82).

Under coach Paul Westhead in their second season, the Mercury finished the 2007 regular season with a 23-11 record, a significant improvement from their 18-16 record and playoff miss the previous year. This qualified them for the playoffs, where they faced the Seattle Storm (17-17) in the first round.

The Mercury swept the Storm 2-0. In Game 1 on the road, they dominated with a 101-84 victory. Six Phoenix players scored in double figures: Diana Taurasi and Penny Taylor each scored 22 points (with Taylor adding 6 assists, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals despite only one 3-pointer). Cappie Pondexter contributed 21 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals. Tangela Smith had a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds), while Kelly Mazzante (11 points) and Kelly Miller (10 points) came off the bench effectively. The team's defense recorded 11 steals.

In Game 2, the Mercury secured the series with a 95-89 win. Seattle offered more resistance, but Phoenix prevailed. Pondexter led the scoring with 25 points and 5 rebounds, Taurasi added 20 points and 6 rebounds, Taylor scored 18, and Miller had 16 points.

This playoff series victory over Seattle propelled the Mercury forward, ultimately leading to their historic championship win that season.