Phoenix forward Alyssa Thomas will attempt to extend her historic run when the Mercury host the Atlanta Dream on Sunday.
Thomas became the first player in WNBA history to record three straight triple-doubles when she posted 18 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the Mercury’s 95-60 dismantling of the Indiana Fever on Thursday.
She left the PHX Arena court in the final minutes to chants of “MVP.”
“I’ve always prided myself on trying to be an all-around player,” said Thomas, who is in her first season in Phoenix after 11 with Connecticut.
“I just go out and take whatever the game gives me.”
The Mercury and Dream, both 19-11, are tied for third in the league, just one game behind the New York Liberty entering Sunday. The top four teams get home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Both teams are rolling. The Mercury have won three straight, and the Dream have won four in a row and six of seven after beating the host Chicago Sky 86-65 on Thursday.
Thomas became the first player in league history with two consecutive triple-doubles Tuesday, when she had a 13/12/12 game in an 82-66 victory over Connecticut. The streak began with a 10/10/10 line in an 83-67 victory over Chicago on Aug. 3.
“A.T. is an unbelievable player,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. “She competes on each and every possession defensively. She wants to see her teammates succeed.”
Thomas is averaging 15.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and a league-high 9.2 assists per game.
The Dream have clinched the season series by winning the first two meetings by double figures, the most recent a 95-72 victory in Atlanta on Aug. 1 when Allisha Gray had 26 points.
Gray had 28 points in a 90-79 victory over the Mercury on July 23, when Brittney Griner celebrated her return to Phoenix with 17 points and eight rebounds. Griner has not played in the last three games — all Dream victories — because of a neck injury.
Jordin Canada had 17 points, six assists and six rebounds against Chicago, and Nia Coffey added 10 points and five rebounds off the Atlanta bench.
“I think we have a lot of great players, and when they get an opportunity out there, they usually make the most of it,” Dream coach Karl Smesko said. “We’ve already talked about ‘Leash’ (Gray) playing at an MVP level, but you need those players off the bench to give you a spark. Nia gave us a huge lift. When we were playing our best, she was out there.”
–Field Level Media
