Phoenix Is 2-7, But Nate Tibbetts Is Telling His Squad They'll Still Make the Playoffs

Okay, Seattle, you gotta hear about this. The Phoenix Mercury just took another L, falling 75-68 to the New York Liberty. Seriously, another one? They're sitting at a brutal 2 wins and 7 losses right now, dead last in the league. You'd think the vibe in the locker room would be totally shot, but Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts? He's somehow still pushing positive energy, telling his squad they're gonna be playoff contenders. I'm not gonna lie, that's a tough pill to swallow when you're looking at the standings.

The Latest Beatdown

So, this latest loss went down against a New York Liberty squad that wasn't even at full strength, with Sabrina Ionescu reportedly working back to physical fitness. Still, the Liberty looked bright, with Marine Johannes out there making merry. For Phoenix, Kahleah Copper put up a team-high 16 points over 37 minutes, but it just wasn't enough. Losing by 7 points in a 75-68 game where you needed more than that one big scorer? That's a tough spot to be in, especially when the team is already struggling to find its footing.

Coach's Optimism vs. Reality

After another defeat, Tibbetts delivered a halftime message that's got everyone scratching their heads a bit. He told his players, "Stay with it. I believe in the group, and we’re gonna keep fighting that. I believe that we’re gonna be where we need to be when the playoffs roll around, but we’re not there right now." Man, that's some serious belief, but the cold hard truth is they are in dire straits. Two wins and seven losses means they're lingering right at the bottom. It feels like things are going downhill pretty fast, and while Tibbetts' positive mindset is cool, the team needs to turn it around ASAP.

Who's Stepping Up?

It's not all doom and gloom on the stat sheet, though. Beyond Copper's effort, Alyssa Thomas chipped in with 15 points on 5-for-14 shooting from the field, plus eight assists. Monique Akoa Makani added 13 points too. So, the talent is there, right? Tibbetts definitely has some rays of light, some pieces he can work with. But the big question for Phoenix, and for fans watching the league's early trends, is how well he can channel those individual efforts to actually illuminate the Mercury's path to, well, any kind of consistent winning. It's high time that players like Copper, Thomas, and Makani really pull up their socks and make something happen.

The Mercury are in a real hole right now. The season is still early, but that 2-7 record is screaming for a turnaround. Can Nate Tibbetts actually spark that comeback, or is his optimism just a brave face? The next few games are gonna be absolutely crucial for showing if this squad has the fight to climb out of the basement and prove their coach right. We're all watching to see if they can start putting those wins on the board.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.