2018 Phoenix Mercury season

The 2018 WNBA season was the 22nd season for the Phoenix Mercury franchise of the WNBA. The season tipped off on May 14.

The Mercury started the season slowly, going 2–3 in May. They won the first two games, but lost the next three. All five games were against eventual playoff teams. However, the Mercury caught fire in June, posting an 11–2 record which included an 8 game winning streak. The June high turned into a July low. The team was 2–7 in July with their only wins coming against Connecticut, and league-worst Indiana. The Mercury managed to turn it around and end the season on a high, going 5–2 in August. Their regular season ended on a three game winning streak, with all games coming against playoff teams. The Mercury finished the season 20–14, with the 5th seed in the 2018 WNBA Playoffs.

As the fifth seed, the Mercury had to play an opening round game against the Dallas Wings at home. The Mercury won by 18 points, 101–83. This win saw them advance to the second round where they played the fourth seeded Connecticut Sun in Connecticut. Again, the Mercury won, this time by 10 points. With the win, the Mercury advanced to the Semifinals to face the first seeded Seattle Storm. The home team won each game in the five game series. However, the Mercury did not have home court advantage, due to being the lower seed, and lost the series 2–3 despite nearly completing a dramatic comeback after being down two games to none.

Pre-season

 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 1
 * May 8
 * @ Seattle
 * L 69–73
 * Bonner (13)
 * Tied (6)
 * 3 Tied (3)
 * KeyArena 3,502
 * 0–1
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 2
 * May 12
 * Seattle
 * L 61–84
 * Griner (14)
 * Lyttle (11)
 * Bonner (4)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 4,535
 * 0–2

Regular season

 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 1
 * May 18
 * Dallas
 * W 86–78
 * Taurasi (26)
 * Bonner (12)
 * Mitchell (5)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 11,210
 * 1–0
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 2
 * May 20
 * @ Seattle
 * W 87–82
 * Griner (29)
 * Griner (10)
 * Bonner (7)
 * KeyArena 8,602
 * 2–0
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 3
 * May 23
 * Seattle
 * L 71–87
 * Taurasi (23)
 * Bonner (9)
 * Lyttle (4)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 8,068
 * 2–1
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 4
 * May 27
 * @ Los Angeles
 * L 72–80
 * Lyttle (20)
 * Tied (5)
 * January (7)
 * Staples Center 11,201
 * 2–2
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 5
 * May 30
 * Washington
 * L 95–103
 * Griner (27)
 * Lyttle (7)
 * Taurasi (7)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 8,188
 * 2–3


 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 6
 * June 1
 * @ Minnesota
 * W 95–85
 * Taurasi (29)
 * Griner (9)
 * Taurasi (6)
 * Target Center 8,830
 * 3–3
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 7
 * June 3
 * @ Atlanta
 * W 78–71
 * Tied (20)
 * Tied (7)
 * Taurasi (8)
 * McCamish Pavilion 3,796
 * 4–3
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 8
 * June 5
 * @ New York
 * W 80–74
 * Griner (26)
 * Griner (6)
 * Taurasi (8)
 * Madison Square Garden 7,215
 * 5–3
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 9
 * June 8
 * Chicago
 * W 96–79
 * Griner (24)
 * Griner (8)
 * Taurasi (7)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 8,834
 * 6–3
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 10
 * June 10
 * Las Vegas
 * W 72–66
 * Taurasi (25)
 * Griner (15)
 * January (4)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 8,471
 * 7–3
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 11
 * June 12
 * @ Dallas
 * W 75–72
 * Taurasi (21)
 * Lyttle (10)
 * January (6)
 * College Park Center 4,026
 * 8–3
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 12
 * June 16
 * Connecticut
 * W 89–72
 * Taurasi (19)
 * Tied (9)
 * January (8)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 12,497
 * 9–3
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 13
 * June 17
 * @ Las Vegas
 * W 92–80
 * Taurasi (28)
 * Bonner (9)
 * Taurasi (7)
 * Mandalay Bay Events Center 4,432
 * 10–3
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 14
 * June 22
 * Minnesota
 * L 72–83
 * Taurasi (23)
 * Griner (13)
 * Taurasi (6)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 11,349
 * 10–4
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 15
 * June 24
 * @ Chicago
 * L 88–97
 * Griner (19)
 * Griner (10)
 * Taurasi (8)
 * Wintrust Arena 4,741
 * 10–5
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 16
 * June 26
 * @ New York
 * W 83–69
 * Taurasi (27)
 * Griner (9)
 * Taurasi (7)
 * Westchester County Center 1,839
 * 11–5
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 17
 * June 29
 * @ Indiana
 * W 95–77
 * Taurasi (25)
 * Bonner (9)
 * Turner (7)
 * Bankers Life Fieldhouse 7,241
 * 12–5
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 18
 * June 30
 * @ Washington
 * W 84–74
 * Griner (24)
 * Turner (9)
 * Taurasi (9)
 * Capital One Arena 6,218
 * 13–5


 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 19
 * July 5
 * Connecticut
 * W 84–77
 * Taurasi (25)
 * Bonner (13)
 * Turner (5)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 8,599
 * 14–5
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 20
 * July 8
 * @ Atlanta
 * L 70–76
 * Taurasi (19)
 * Robinson (10)
 * 3 Tied (3)
 * McCamish Pavilion 3,952
 * 14–6
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 21
 * July 10
 * @ Dallas
 * L 72–101
 * Griner (21)
 * Tied (4)
 * Mitchell (8)
 * College Park Center 4,034
 * 14–7
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 22
 * July 13
 * @ Connecticut
 * L 87–91
 * Taurasi (28)
 * Tied (7)
 * Tied (6)
 * Mohegan Sun Arena 7,696
 * 14–8
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 23
 * July 15
 * @ Indiana
 * W 101–82
 * Griner (36)
 * Griner (12)
 * Taurasi (7)
 * Bankers Life Fieldhouse 6,302
 * 15–8
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 24
 * July 19
 * Las Vegas
 * L 82–85
 * Taurasi (33)
 * Robinson (11)
 * Taurasi (6)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 8,587
 * 15–9
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 25
 * July 21
 * Minnesota
 * L 75–80
 * Bonner (29)
 * Little (6)
 * Talbot (3)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 11,473
 * 15–10
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 26
 * July 25
 * Chicago
 * L 87–101
 * Bonner (30)
 * Bonner (13)
 * January (7)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 10,338
 * 15–11
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 27
 * July 31
 * Seattle
 * L 91–102
 * Griner (25)
 * Griner (6)
 * Tied (7)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 10,005
 * 15–12


 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 28
 * August 1
 * @ Las Vegas
 * W 104–93
 * Taurasi (37)
 * Bonner (14)
 * Taurasi (9)
 * Mandalay Bay Events Center 5,129
 * 16–12
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 29
 * August 5
 * @ Los Angeles
 * L 75–78
 * Griner (22)
 * Bonner (9)
 * January (9)
 * Staples Center 19,076
 * 16–13
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 30
 * August 7
 * Washington
 * L 98–103
 * Griner (35)
 * Griner (11)
 * Talbot (6)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 7,769
 * 16–14
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 31
 * August 10
 * Indiana
 * W 94–74
 * Tied (14)
 * Bonner (10)
 * Griner (4)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 8,860
 * 17–14
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 32
 * August 12
 * Los Angeles
 * W 86–78
 * Bonner (31)
 * Griner (13)
 * Taurasi (14)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 10,618
 * 18–14
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 33
 * August 17
 * Atlanta
 * W 104–95
 * Griner (33)
 * Griner (18)
 * Taurasi (14)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 11,177
 * 19–14
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 34
 * August 19
 * New York
 * W 96–85
 * Bonner (23)
 * Bonner (10)
 * Tied (5)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 13,106
 * 20–14

Playoffs

 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 1
 * August 21
 * Dallas
 * W 101–83
 * Bonner (29)
 * Tied (11)
 * Taurasi (12)
 * Wells Fargo Arena 4,976
 * 1–0


 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 1
 * August 23
 * @ Connecticut
 * W 96–86
 * Tied (27)
 * Bonner (18)
 * 3 Tied (5)
 * Mohegan Sun Arena 7,858
 * 1–0


 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 1
 * August 26
 * @ Seattle
 * L 87–91
 * Bonner (27)
 * Bonner (13)
 * Taurasi (6)
 * KeyArena 9,686
 * 0–1
 * - style="background:#fcc;"
 * 2
 * August 28
 * @ Seattle
 * L 87–91 (OT)
 * Taurasi (28)
 * Griner (10)
 * Taurasi (8)
 * KeyArena 9,686
 * 0–2
 * - style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 3
 * August 31
 * Seattle
 * W 86–66
 * Bonner (27)
 * Bonner (11)
 * Turner (6)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 15,185
 * 1–2
 * -style="background:#bbffbb;"
 * 4
 * September 2
 * Seattle
 * W 86–84
 * Griner (29)
 * Griner (12)
 * Taurasi (4)
 * Talking Stick Resort Arena 8,137
 * 2–2
 * -style="background:#fcc;"
 * 5
 * September 4
 * @ Seattle
 * 84–94
 * Griner (21)
 * Griner (9)
 * Griner (6)
 * KeyArena 8,992
 * 2–3