ESPN’s WNBA analyst LaChina Robinson says Mercury are a threat to Aces’ 3-peat bid

The Phoenix Mercury (8-8) are in the middle of the WNBA standings at sixth, right behind the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces (8-6).

During ESPN’s morning debate show “First Take” on Monday, the network’s longtime women’s basketball analyst and WNBA color commentator LaChina Robinson said the Mercury have a strong chance to prevent the Aces from a three-peat.

Robinson explained that despite the league’s top three teams currently the New York Liberty (15-3), Connecticut Sun (13-3), and Minnesota Lynx (13-3), Phoenix is starting to play better and figure things out under first-year coach Nate Tibbetts with its veteran roster led by Kahleah Copper, Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner.

“No disrespect to the Minnesota Lynx, to the Connecticut Sun, and New York Liberty, all having fantastic seasons, but it’s my job to take into consideration injuries, strength of schedule, what teams still need time to jell, all of the above,” Robinson said. “So I’m digging down to the sixth team in the standings right now and I’m gonna say the Phoenix Mercury.”

After starting the season 4-6, Phoenix has won four of its last six games since Griner made her season debut in their home win over Minnesota on June 7.

Copper is the league’s third-leading scorer at 22.6 points per game. The 33-year-old Griner is putting up 19.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks after her return since the preseason. Taurasi is showing no signs of slowing down at 16.3 points and is fifth among all players in 3s made (43) in her 20th season. All three were named to Team USA for the Paris Olympics.

Robinson also mentioned the vital additions of playoff battle-tested and championship winners Natasha Cloud, who’s currently the league’s second-best in assists (7.1), and Copper this past offseason.

The 10-year veteran Cloud helped lead her former team Washington Mystics to the 2019 title. Copper was the finals MVP when she led the Chicago Sky over Phoenix in 2021. Also, Taurasi and Griner both have won titles in Phoenix (three for Taurasi, one for Griner).

“When you look at this roster, they have all the proven experience you could want,” Robinson said. “They got two players that have been finals MVP (Taurasi and Copper). Of the four players named, they have won championships with three different organizations.

“Kahleah Copper has been a bucket this season, more 30-point games than she has (had) in her career. Brittney Griner playing with a renewed sense of purpose, and Diana Taurasi not just drinking from the Fountain Of Youth, she got a whole cooler at the house. This is a team that is ready to compete for a championship.”

The Aces are led by two-time MVP and the league’s leading scorer this season in A’ja Wilson. They are currently leading their four-game season series 2-1 against Phoenix, which lost its most recent matchup against Las Vegas at home, 103-99, on June 13.

Robinson added that championship-caliber teams need “experience, great leadership.” She said the Aces have that in Wilson, fellow All-Stars Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and their reigning Sixth Player of the Year Alysha Clark. But the Mercury are playing like contenders with their hard-nosed defensive specialist and floor general in Cloud, and “there’s no answer” for 6-foot-9 Griner on offense and defense.

If the eight-team playoffs were to begin on Tuesday, Phoenix would be the No. 6 seed facing No. 3 Lynx, Las Vegas would be the fifth seed against No. 4 Seattle Storm (10-6) in the first round best-of-three series. As Phoenix and Las Vegas would be on opposite sides of the hypothetical playoff bracket, Phoenix would need to defeat Las Vegas in the finals to end the Aces’ three-peat run.

The Mercury lost at the Lynx on Saturday, 73-60, and trails Minnesota 2-1 in their four-game regular season series.

Phoenix has wins against New York, Minnesota, Las Vegas, and Seattle.

The Mercury hosts the struggling Los Angeles Sparks (4-13) for their next game on Friday.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: WNBA analyst on ESPN says Mercury threaten Aces’ 3-peat title run