Phoenix Mercury

WNBA team
color1 = #32127A
color2 = #FF3000
name = Phoenix Mercury

imagesize = 150px
conference = Western Conference
founded = 1997
arena = US Airways Center
city = Phoenix, Arizona
colors = Purple, Orange, Chartreuse
owners = Jerry Colangelo ,Anne Mariucci and Kathy Munro
GM = Ann Meyers
coach = Corey Gaines
league_champs = 1 (2007)
conf_champs = 1 (2007)
mascot = Scorch [http://www.wnba.com/mercury/news/Scorch_Sizzles_in_Debut-46616-227.html]

The Phoenix Mercury is a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Phoenix, Arizona and the current WNBA champions. The Mercury began in 1997 as one of the league's original eight teams. The Mercury are so named because Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. It is the WNBA counterpart to the Phoenix Suns in partnership with Anne Mariucci and Kathy Munro.

Uniforms:The uniform is white, chartreuse and orange at home with a logo of the planet Mercury in purple, and the word "Phoenix" in silver; it is orange and chartreuse on the road.

History

With a cast that included hall-of-famer Nancy Lieberman, and possible future hall-of-famers Michele Timms of Australia, and Jennifer Gillom, hyper-active star Bridget Pettis, and outspoken coach Cheryl Miller, the Mercury quickly established itself as a major franchise. In the very first WNBA season, the Mercury posted a 16-12 record and reached the first WNBA playoffs. The Mercury lost to the New York Liberty, though, in those playoffs.

In 1998, the Mercury again qualified for the playoffs, posting a 19-11 record. The Mercury defeated the Cleveland Rockers to reach the WNBA Finals for the first time. In a hard fought series, the Mercury fell 2 games to 1 to the defending champion Houston Comets.

In 1999, the Mercury missed the playoffs, posting a 15-17 record. In 2000, the Mercury finished 20-12, but got swept by the Los Angeles Sparks. The team descended into turmoil after the season, as coach Miller left and the original core group of players broke up, via retirement or trades, and the team stopped being a playoff contender.

From 2001-2004, the Mercury were at the bottom of the WNBA. Fielding miserable teams, the Mercury were never competitive. The Mercury went through coach after coach, and nothing worked. During the lean years, the franchise remained in the news as forward Lisa Harrison would become a sex symbol. Playboy Magazine offered her money to pose in their magazine. She would decline the offer.Fact|date=October 2008

After a horrible 2003 season, in which the Mercury posted an 8-26 record, the Mercury won the #1 overall choice in the 2004 WNBA Draft, and select coveted former UConn star Diana Taurasi. Taurasi went on to win the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award in the 2004 season, as the Mercury posted a better 17-17 record. The Mercury posted a 16-18 record in 2005, missing the playoffs again.

Former NBA coach Paul Westhead became the Mercury's head coach prior to the 2006 season and brought his up-tempo style to Phoenix. Westhead was the first WNBA coach to have won a previous NBA championship (1980 LA Lakers). The Mercury also drafted Cappie Pondexter with the #2 overall selection in the 2006 WNBA Draft. The addition provided Taurasi with a solid #2 player.

The 2006 season was a positive one for the Mercury, as they posted a winning record for the first time since 2000, at 18-16. The Mercury competed for the playoffs all year, but fell just short of a postseason berth.

As the 2007 season came, the Mercury were poised and hungry for a deep playoff run. The Mercury would run away with the Western Conference, posting their best record in franchise history at 23-11, as well as clinching the #1 seed. The Mercury set a record by averaging 89.0 points in a season during 2007. Sports Illustrated, September 24, 2007, p. 67] In their first playoffs since 2000, the Mercury made quick work of the Seattle Storm in the first round, blowing them out in two games (Game 1: 101-84, Game 2: 95-89). In the Western Finals, the Mercury swept the San Antonio Silver Stars in a closer series (Game 1: 102-100, Game 2: 98-92), advancing to the WNBA Finals for the first time in nine years. In the Finals, the Mercury faced the defending 2006 champions Detroit Shock. The two teams split the first two games in Detroit. Coming back home, the Mercury suffered a letdown in game 3, losing 88-83. Down 2-1, the Mercury had to win game 4 or lose. Game 4 came down to the final seconds, but the Mercury edged out the Shock 77-76, with Cappie Pondexter scoring 26 points, and forced a Game 5 in Detroit. In Game 5, Phoenix won by a score of 108-92. Penny Taylor scored a game high 30 points in Game 5, and went 18-for-18 from the line. The Mercury won the series and their first championship with a 108-92 Game 5 victory, becoming the first WNBA team to win a championship on the road. Cappie Pondexter was named the WNBA Finals MVP, and averaged 22.0 points and 5.6 assists in the series. On November 7, 2007, The Mercury announced the hiring of Corey Gaines as head coach to replace the departing Paul Westhead.

In 2008, the Mercury started slowly and never really found a groove, finishing the season with a disappointing record of 16-18, well out of the playoff picture in a tough Western Conference. The Mercury became the first team in WNBA history with the dubious honor of failing to qualify for the playoffs after winning the WNBA Finals the year before.

eason-by-season records

-
colspan="6" align=center bgcolor="#32127A" | Phoenix Mercury
-
1997 || 16 || 12 || .571 || Lost WNBA Semifinals || New York 59, Phoenix 41
-
1998 || 19 || 11 || .633 || Won WNBA Semifinals
Lost WNBA Finals || Phoenix 2, Cleveland 1
Houston 2, Phoenix 1
-
1999 || 15 || 17 || .469 || |
-
2000 || 20 || 12 || .625 || Lost First Round || Los Angeles 2, Phoenix 0
-
2001 || 13 || 19 || .406 || |
-
2002 || 11 || 21 || .344 || |
-
2003 || 8 || 26 || .235 || |
-
2004 || 17 || 17 || .500 || |
-
2005 || 16 || 18 || .471 || |
-
2006 || 18 || 16 || .529 || |
-
2007 || 23 || 11 || .676 || Won First Round
Won Conference Finals
Won WNBA Finals|| Phoenix 2, Seattle 0
Phoenix 2, San Antonio 0
Phoenix 3, Detroit 2
-
2008 || 16 || 18 || .471 || |

-
Totals || 192 || 198 || .492 |
-
Playoffs || 10 || 8 || .555 || 1 WNBA Championship |
###@@@KEYEND@@@###Stats updated September 20 2008

Players of note

Hall of Famers

*Nancy Lieberman
*Cheryl Miller (coach)

Retired numbers

*7 Michele TimmsOnly number retired by the team as of 1/1/08. 1 of only 3 numbers retired in the WNBA, the others being #10 and #14 on the Houston Comets for Kim Perrot and Cynthia Cooper.

Former players

*Marlies Askamp
*Kayte Christensen
*Anna DeForge
*Jennifer Gillom
*Lisa Harrison
*Carolyn Moos
*Plenette Pierson
*Brandy Reed
*Maria Stepanova
*Lindsay Taylor
*Adrian Williams, now with the Sacramento Monarchs

Current Roster

Coaches and others

Head Coaches:
*Cheryl Miller (1997-2000)
*Cynthia Cooper (2001-2002)
*Linda Sharp (2002)
*John Shumate (2003)
*Carrie Graf (2004-2005)
*Paul Westhead (2006-2007)
*Corey Gaines (2008-present)

References

External links

*
* [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/wnba/mercury/2007-11-06-gaines-coach_N.htm Gaines announced as Head Coach of the Mercury]
* [http://www.azcentral.com/sports/azetc/ Phoenix Mercury coverage from The Arizona Republic/azcentral.com]