Phoenix's 99-66 Demolition Job Sets Up Sunday Rematch With Golden State's Injury-Plagued Valkyries

The Phoenix Mercury are running hot right now, and they're about to bring that heat straight to San Francisco. After absolutely dismantling the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 99-66 on the road Friday night, the Mercury turn around Sunday to face the Golden State Valkyries in what's shaping up to be a clash between a team firing on all cylinders and a squad still trying to get healthy.

Phoenix Crashes the Ring Ceremony

Here's the thing about this Mercury team: they came into Friday's game with a chip on their shoulder the size of Mount Rainier. Not only did they lose to Las Vegas in the 2025 WNBA Finals, but they had to stand there and watch the Aces celebrate their championship before the game even tipped off. So when Alyssa Thomas led Phoenix with 20 points in the blowout, it felt like more than just a win. It felt personal. The Mercury had the perfect response: absolutely embarrass the defending champs on their home court.

Phoenix got a serious boost from an unexpected source. Jovana Nogic, a Serbian forward who was playing in Russia, went absolutely off for 19 points, and here's the wild part: all of them came in the first half. Coach Nate Tibbetts gave credit to the league's new collective bargaining agreement for bringing in this caliber of talent from Europe. "This is a player that hadn't come over because maybe it wasn't worth it, right?" Tibbetts said after the game. "She had an awesome start; I'm really happy for her."

Golden State's Injury Crisis Is Real

Meanwhile, the Valkyries are dealing with a mountain of problems heading into Sunday. The expansion team that somehow snuck into the playoffs last year is already banged up. They're missing last year's top pick, Juste Jocyte, who still has obligations to her Spanish League team. Top player Iliana Rupert is out with pregnancy. Guard Tiffany Hayes dislocated her pinkie finger, and key reserve Cecilia Zandalasini has a concussion. All four are ruled out for Sunday's matchup.

Coach Natalie Nakase, the WNBA's Coach of the Year last season, knows her team has serious work to do. In their season-opening win over Seattle, the Valkyries got torched defensively, giving up 24 and 27-point quarters. "My expectations are high for us defensively," Nakase said. "We just have to be smarter. There's a lot of corrections that we can make." She also acknowledged that some of her players have only been through three or four practices, so there's still time to gel. But they're going to need that time fast.

Sunday night in San Francisco is going to tell us a lot about where both these teams really stand right now. Phoenix looks scary good. Golden State? They've got to figure it out quick.

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