The highly anticipated 2025 WNBA playoffs are heating up as the Phoenix Mercury are set to go head-to-head against the New York Liberty in the first round. The Phoenix Mercury, securing the No. 4 seed, are looking to leverage their home court advantage when they play Game 1 today at PHX Arena. Fans are in for a treat as the game, slated for a 2 p.m. MST start, will be broadcast live on ESPN.
Despite holding the fifth seed, the Liberty have been prepping for this confrontation since as early as Sept. 8, aware that their playoff journey was likely to begin in Phoenix. According to AZCentral, "We’re seeing the defending champs and they’re the champs until somebody else beats them," said Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts. He also added, "I think our group is excited because once you get to the playoffs, you’re going to get good teams no matter what." Tibbetts made it clear that, despite the excitement, they are aware that there's a significant amount of work ahead.
New York is back to full strength at just the right moment, recovering from a slew of injuries that affected key players including Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, and Jonquel Jones. The return of these players intensifies the anticipation for some key matchups, especially between Alyssa Thomas and Stewart. Stewart had played a crucial role in eliminating Thomas' former team, the Connecticut Sun, in the 2023 semifinals, as per historical reports from AZCentral.
Another riveting matchup features centers Natasha Mack of the Phoenix Mercury and Liberty's Jonquel Jones. In the previous encounter, a resurgent Mack helped the Mercury turn over the Liberty's misfortunes, inadvertently due to Jones battling with an illness causing them 26 points. With Jones now in peak condition, Mack faces what might be one of her most formidable opponents yet. "Last game, they weren’t at full strength. For us, it’s seeing what worked against them and go out there with a great game,” Thomas told AZCentral.
Over in the Mercury camp, fans will surely keep an eye on the dynamic Kahleah Copper, known for stepping up in big game situations, as she faces off against former teammate Natasha Cloud. Cloud, adept at guarding multiple positions, is expected to shadow several Mercury players, including Copper, according to game analysis.
As if the playoffs weren't already brimming with excitement, changes in the WNBA playoff format this season are set to add an extra layer of tension. The first round now features a best-of-three series, giving teams a fighting chance on their home turf before a potential decider at the court of the better-seeded team. The anticipation builds further towards the WNBA Finals, which has expanded to a best-of-7 series, upping the stakes for all the teams involved. For the full playoff breakdown and more details on the evolving format, check out the coverage from ABC 15.
