No one in the WNBA gets triple-doubles like Alyssa Thomas. Now, her Mercury only need a triple of dubs to bring home the championship.

Today’s Lineup

🎉 Happy birthday Kevin Durant, Chuck Cooper, John Paxson, Hersey Hawkins, and Jaden McDaniels! 🎉

Around the Association

Mercury down top-seeded Lynx 86-81 in Game 4, move on to WNBA Finals

For the first time since 2021, the city of Phoenix will play for a pro basketball championship.

On Sunday, the Mercury secured a close win over the Lynx in Game 4 of their best-of-5 series, earning Phoenix a berth to the WNBA Finals. Alyssa Thomas was her usual dominant self, stuffing the stat sheet to the tune of 23 PTS, 10 AST, and 8 REB, while Satou Sabally added 21 PTS. The Lynx, who lost MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier to an ankle injury in Game 3, got 31 PTS from Kayla McBride and led by 13 at the end of the third quarter. But the Mercury stormed back in the fourth, outscoring Minny 31-13 in the final frame to punch their Finals ticket.

The Mercury last went to the title series in 2021, when they fell to the Chicago Sky. That same year, the Phoenix Suns also suffered a bitter Finals loss, meaning this year’s Mercury have the chance to bring home a chip for a city stuck in drought. A great season for Minnesota, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for Phoenix!

Boston, Fever force Game 5 against Aces with 90-83 Game 4 victory

“Quit” is not a word in the Fever’s vocabulary. Through injuries, doubts, and deficits, Indiana has battled through it all.

Now, they’re on the verge of their first Finals berth in a decade.

In an elimination game against the favored Las Vegas Aces, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever to a stellar home win, forcing a decisive Game 5 on Tuesday night. Boston became the youngest WNBA player to record 20/10/5 in a playoff game with 23 PTS, 14 REB, and 5 AST, while Mitchell led Indiana in scoring with 25. MVP A’ja Wilson got buckets for Vegas, notching 31 PTS with 7 stocks to boot, but it wasn’t enough to overcome some late-game miscues from the Aces. After the Aces were assessed a technical foul for calling a timeout they didn’t have, Indiana connected on a trio of free throws to take a 10-point lead it would not relinquish.

Will the Fever continue their unlikely run? Will Wilson take over and lead the Aces back to the Finals? Only Tuesday knows, and we can’t wait… 🍿

Golden State of Mind

Warriors agree to deals with Horford, Payton, Melton ahead of Kuminga decision

The Dubs have been quiet all offseason in anticipation of a resolution with restricted Free Agent Jonathan Kuminga. Now, with a decision on the horizon, they’re getting active again.

Kuminga has until October 1 to decide if he will accept Golden State’s qualifying offer, a choice which will have major ramifications for the Dubs’ financials moving forward. If he does, he’ll be on the books for a one-year, $8 million deal next season before hitting unrestricted Free Agency in 2026. If he declines, he’ll have to consider the Warriors’ other offers, which include a three-year, $75.2 million pact with a team option in the final year.

In the meantime, Golden State has reached agreements with three players who will sign after the Kuminga deal is complete. Those players are Al Horford, who will play his 19th NBA season for the Dubs after spending seven of the last nine in Boston, as well as Gary Payton II and De’Anthony Melton. These signings were expected for much of the offseason, but now become semi-official as a deal with Kuminga appears imminent.

The Warriors were one of the league’s best teams during the back half of last season after acquiring Jimmy Butler. Once their roster gets squared away, they’ll likely be dangerous again. 👀

Three in the Key

Signing Off

And we out! Thanks for spending a portion of your day with us. This week, try to lock in on a goal or two that’s especially important to you. When you focus on your objective, reaching it becomes a whole lot easier. See you soon!

Walker Carnathan