2020 Phoenix Mercury season explained

The 2020 WNBA season was the 23rd season for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association. The season tipped off on July 25, 2020, versus the Los Angeles Sparks.^[1]

During the off-season, it was announced that Talking Stick Resort Arena would be undergoing renovations and the Mercury would be forced to play their home games at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum for the 2020 season.^[2]

This WNBA season will feature an all-time high 36 regular-season games.^[3] However, the plan for expanded games was put on hold on April 3, when the WNBA postponed its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[4] Under a plan approved on June 15, the league is scheduled to hold a shortened 22-game regular season at IMG Academy, without fans present, starting on July 24.^{[5] [6]}

The Mercury's season got off to a slow start, with the team losing its first two games. However, a four-game win streak followed and the Mercury were 4–2. The Mercury only won two of the next seven games and were just under .500. The team then won its next six games to secure a playoff spot. After losing two of their last three games, they qualified for the playoffs as the fifth overall seed.

As the fifth seed, the Mercury played the Washington Mystics in the First Round of the playoffs. The Mercury won that a nail-biter of a game 85–84, and advanced to the Second Round. They faced off against the fourth seeded Minnesota Lynx and were defeated in another close match, 79–80 to end their season.

Transactions

WNBA draft

See also: 2020 WNBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Nationality	School/Team/Country
1	10	Jocelyn Willoughby		Virginia
2	18	Te'a Cooper		Baylor
3	29	Stella Johnson		Rider

Trades/Roster Changes

Date	Details
February 11, 2020	Traded F DeWanna Bonner to Connecticut in exchange for the 7th and 10th pick in the 2020 WNBA draft in addition to a first-round pick in the 2021 WNBA draft.[7]
February 12, 2020	Traded the 5th and 7th pick in the 2020 WNBA draft in addition to a first-round pick in the 2021 WNBA draft to Dallas in exchange for Skylar Diggins-Smith.[8]
February 13, 2020	Re-signed C Brittney Griner[9]
	Signed G Bria Hartley[10]
February 19, 2020	Acquired F Jessica Breland and F Nia Coffey in exchange for G Briann January, the 17th pick in the 2020 WNBA draft, and the team's second round pick in the 2021 WNBA draft[11]
February 24, 2020	Signed C Kia Vaughn[12]
April 17, 2020	Acquired G Shatori Walker-Kimbrough from New York in exchange for the draft rights to G/F Jocelyn Willoughby.[13]
July 12, 2020	F Jessica Breland medically excused for 2020 season.[14]

Game log

Regular season

|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| July 25| Los Angeles Sparks| L 76–99| Taurasi (16)| Griner (9)| Diggins-Smith (6)| IMG Academy
0| 0–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| July 29| Indiana Fever| L 100–106| Hartley (26)| Tied (7)| Tied (5)| IMG Academy
0| 0–2|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 3| July 31| Las Vegas Aces| W 102–95| Tied (22)| Turner (9)| Taurasi (10)| IMG Academy
0| 1–2|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 4| August 2| New York Liberty| W 96–67| Hartley (27)| Turner (11)| Taurasi (9)| IMG Academy
0| 2–2|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 5| August 4| Atlanta Dream| W 81–74| Taurasi (20)| Turner (7)| Taurasi (6)| IMG Academy
0| 3–2|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 6| August 6| Chicago Sky| W 96–86| Tied (22)| Griner (8)| Taurasi (6)| IMG Academy
0| 4–2|- style="background:#fcc;"| 7| August 8| Seattle Storm| L 68–74| Griner (20)| Griner (8)| Taurasi (5)| IMG Academy
0| 4–3|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 8| August 10| Dallas Wings| W 91–79| Diggins-Smith (26)| Griner (13)| Diggins-Smith (7)| IMG Academy
0| 5–3|- style="background:#fcc;"| 9| August 12| Chicago Sky| L 71–89| Tied (15)| Griner (6)| Diggins-Smith (4)| IMG Academy
0| 5–4|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 10| August 14| Atlanta Dream| W 96–80| Hartley (24)| Griner (8)| Hartley (5)| IMG Academy
0| 6–4|- style="background:#fcc;"| 11| August 16| Dallas Wings| L 89–95| Griner (29)| Taurasi (9)| Hartley (6)| IMG Academy
0| 6–5|- style="background:#fcc;"| 12| August 19| Los Angeles Sparks| L 74–83| Taurasi (19)| Turner (7)| Hartley (9)| IMG Academy
0| 6–6|- style="background:#fcc;"| 13| August 21| Minnesota Lynx| L 80–90| Hartley (24)| Turner (9)| Hartley (5)| IMG Academy
0| 6–7|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 14| August 23| Washington Mystics| W 88–87| Taurasi (34)| Turner (17)| Hartley (5)| IMG Academy
0| 7–7|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 15| August 28| Washington Mystics| W 94–72| Diggins-Smith (24)| Smith (8)| Taurasi (7)| IMG Academy
0| 8–7|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 16| August 30| Minnesota Lynx| W 83–79| Diggins-Smith (25)| Turner (15)| Peddy (5)| IMG Academy
0| 9–7|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 17| September 1| Las Vegas Aces| W 92–85| Taurasi (32)| Turner (13)| Tied (7)| IMG Academy
0| 10–7|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 18| September 3| Indiana Fever| W 105–81| Diggins-Smith (28)| Turner (12)| Diggins-Smith (8)| IMG Academy
0| 11–7|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 19| September 5| New York Liberty| W 83–67| Diggins-Smith (30)| Turner (13)| Turner (4)| IMG Academy
0| 12–7|- style="background:#fcc;"| 20| September 7| Connecticut Sun| L 70–85| Taurasi (19)| Turner (8)| Diggins-Smith (6)| IMG Academy
0| 12–8|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 21| September 9| Connecticut Sun| W 100–95| Diggins-Smith (33)| Turner (21)| Taurasi (7)| IMG Academy
0| 13–8|- style="background:#fcc;"| 22| September 11| Seattle Storm| L 60–83| Walker-Kimbrough (24)| Turner (11)| Peddy (6)| IMG Academy
0| 13–9

Playoffs

|- style="background:#bbffbb;"| 1| September 15| Washington Mystics| W 85–84| Diggins-Smith (24)| Turner (11)| Taurasi (6)| IMG Academy| 1–0|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| September 17| Minnesota Lynx| 79–80| Taurasi (28)| Turner (14)| Taurasi (9)| IMG Academy| 0–1

Playoffs

See main article: 2020 WNBA Playoffs.

Statistics

Regular season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Diana Taurasi	19	19	28.1	40.9	36.5	91.2	4.2	4.5	1.0	0.4	18.7
Brittney Griner	12	12	31.8	49.7	0	80.9	7.5	3.0	0.3	1.8	17.7
Skylar Diggins-Smith	22	22	30.7	47.4	39.7	90.0	3.3	4.2	0.9	0.5	17.7
Bria Hartley	13	3	24.8	42.0	38.5	80.5	2.9	4.5	1.2	0	14.6
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough	21	10	19.0	42.9	43.1	92.0	1.6	1.5	1.1	0.4	7.3
Brianna Turner	22	22	27.9	57.9	0	64.3	9.0	1.8	1.1	2.0	7.2
Kia Vaughn	22	10	18.9	48.8	0	57.9	3.6	1.5	0.5	0.3	6.1
Alanna Smith	19	0	15.6	42.2	23.3	69.0	3.6	1.2	0.3	0.8	6.1
Sophie Cunningham	21	11	18.9	38.5	23.5	88.0	1.0	0.8	0.5	0.1	5.0
Shey Peddy	8	0	17.6	29.4	10.5	100	3.0	2.4	1.5	0.1	4.0
Alisia Jenkins	2	0	11.5	25.0	0	66.7	1.5	0	0	0	4.0
Nia Coffey	15	1	15.3	42.1	33.3	16.7	2.5	0.8	0.3	0.3	2.7

Awards and honors

Recipient	Award	Date awarded	Ref.
Skylar Diggins-Smith	WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week	September 8, 2020	[15]
Brianna Turner	1st Team All-Defense	September 29, 2020	[16]
Diana Taurasi	All-WNBA Second Team	October 4, 2020	[17]
Skylar Diggins-Smith

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2020 Phoenix Mercury Schedule. mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. February 14, 2020.
2. Web site: Phoenix Mercury Change In Home Court For 2020 Season. All About Arizona News. July 25, 2019. February 14, 2020.
3. Web site: Atlanta Dream Announce 2020 Schedule - Atlanta Dream. dream.wnba.com. February 1, 2020.
4. News: 2020-04-03. WNBA Statement Regarding the Start of the 2020 Regular Season. 2020-04-03.
5. Web site: 2020-06-15. WNBA Announces Plan To Tip Off 2020 Season. 2020-06-17. WNBA. en-US.
6. Web site: 2020-06-15. WNBA announces plans for 2020 season to start late July in Florida. 2020-06-15. NBC Sports Washington.
7. Web site: MERCURY ACQUIRES THREE FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICKS FROM CONNECTICUT. mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. February 11, 2020. February 14, 2020.
8. Web site: Mercury Welcomes Skylar Diggins-Smith to The Valley. mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. February 12, 2020. February 14, 2020.
9. Web site: Brittney Griner Will Continue to Call The Valley home. mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. February 13, 2020. February 14, 2020.
10. Web site: Phoenix Mercury continue roster remake, signing guard Bria Hartley. USA Today. Jeff. Metcalfe. February 13, 2020. February 19, 2020.
11. Web site: Breland, Coffey acquired from Atlanta in exchange for Briann January. mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. February 19, 2020. February 19, 2020.
12. Web site: Kia Vaughn Chooses Phoenix in Free Agency. mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. February 24, 2020. February 24, 2020.
13. Web site: Phoenix Mercury trade WNBA first-round draft pick for veteran Walker-Kimbrough. Jeff. Metcalfe. USA Today. April 17, 2020. April 19, 2020.
14. Web site: MERCURY'S BRELAND MEDICALLY EXCUSED FROM 2020 SEASON. mercury.wnba.com. WNBA. July 12, 2020. July 13, 2020.
15. Web site: September 8, 2020. Diggins-Smith, Bonner Earn Player Of The Week Honors For Week 6. wnba.com. WNBA. September 9, 2020.
16. Web site: Two Atlanta Dream Players And Seattle Storm's Alysha Clark Headline 2020 WNBA All-Defensive Team. wnba.com. WNBA. September 29, 2020. September 29, 2020.
17. Web site: A'ja Wilson And Candace Parker Unanimously Selected To 2020 All-WNBA First Team. wnba.com. WNBA. October 4, 2020. October 5, 2020.