In sports, sometimes, it pays to be stubborn. Just ask the Phoenix Mercury. On Tuesday, they refused to quit despite staring at a seemingly insurmountable lead, eventually hacking out an improbable upset of the Minnesota Lynx in overtime, 89-83, in Game 2 of their semifinals series at Target Center.
The Lynx led by as much as 20 points in the third quarter. The odds were stacked against the Mercury, who lost in Game 1. Plus, they were on the road against the league-leading Minnesota, which only lost 10 games in the regular season. But they remained hardheaded and believed they could still rally.
That's exactly what happened, as the Mercury outscored the Lynx, 35-21 in the final quarter and overtime to tie their best-of-five matchup.
After the come-from-behind victory, Phoenix's official account on X posted a familiar message to celebrate, while also throwing shade at Minnesota.
“Not gonna lie, they thought they had us in the first half,” read the caption, referencing a popular meme.
Not gonna lie, they thought they had us in the first half. pic.twitter.com/Ozk9ujp420
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) September 24, 2025
The Lynx held a 16-point lead at halftime, 48-32. Even fans were in disbelief that Minnesota blew it against Phoenix in Game 2.
Satou Sabally led the way for the Mercury with 24 points and nine rebounds, while Alyssa Thomas had another all-around effort of 19 points, eight rebounds, and 13 assists.
“We’re confident in us, and we’ve been battling all season long. You can’t give up a basketball game if you’re down,” said Sabally in a report from the Associated Press.
Sami Whitcomb also came up big, chipping in 13 points, six assists, and two steals off the bench. She also drained a three-pointer to send the game into overtime.
The Mercury's 20-point comeback was the third-largest in the history of the postseason. It was also their first-ever win at Target Center in the playoffs after 10 straight losses.
They will fly back to Phoenix with momentum on their side for Game 3 on Friday.
