All Things Basketball with GD - WNBA Championship Edition, Chicago Sky vs Phoenix Mercury breakdown

The All Things Basketball with GD podcast - WNBA Championship Edition, Chicago Sky vs Phoenix Mercury breakdownShow Notes:WNBA Championship Edition, Chicago Sky vs Phoenix Mercury series breakdown (00:25)Phoenix Mercury (19-13, 5th place) vs Chicago Sky (16-16, 6th place)Game 1 in PhoenixCHI 91, PHO 77Blowout win on the road for the SkyExcellent shooting for the team (nearly 53% FG, 100% FT)Turnover-ridden game for the MercuryCHI led by Kahleah Copper (21 pts, 10 rebs, 3 asts & 2 stls), Allie Quigley (18 pts with 3 3pgs) & Courtney Vandersloot (12 pts, 11 asts & 5 rebs)PHO led by Brittney Griner (20 pts, 6 rebs & 3 asts), Diana Taurasi (17 pts, 3 3pgs & 3 rebs) & Skylar Diggins-Smith (15 pts, 4 asts, 4 rebs & 3 stls)Game 2 in PhoenixPHO 91, CHI 86 (OT)A tightly contested & physical match that went into overtimeTaurasi willing her team in overtime to the winSky went to the free throw line only 4 times compared to Mercury's 11PHO led by Griner (29 pts, 9 rebs & 2 blks), Taurasi (20 pts, 4 3pgs, 4 rebs, 2 blks & a stl) & Diggins-Smith (13 pts, 12 asts, 7 rebs & a stl)CHI led by Vandersloot (20 pts, 15 asts, 5 stls & 3 rebs), Quigley (19 pts with 3 3pgs & 6 rebs) & Copper (15 pts, 9 rebs, & a stl)Game 3 in ChicagoCHI 86, PHO 50A remarkable blowout win for the Sky who led at the half by 22 ptsTremendous defense effort, holding the Mercury to only 25.8% FGCHI led by Copper (22 pts), Candace Parker (13 pts, 4 rebs, 3 asts & a stl) & Diamond DeShields (11 pts, 5 rebs, 5 stls & 2 asts)PHO led by Griner (16 pts)Game 4 in ChicagoCHI 80, PHO 74Down by as many as 14 pts in the 4th quarter, the Sky came charging back for the series-clinching victoryCHI led by Quigley (26 pts, 5 3pgs & 5 rebs), Parker (16 pts, 13 rebs, 5 asts, 4 stls & a blk), Vandersloot (10 pts including the basket that put the team in the lead for good in the 4th, 15 asts, 9 rebs & 2 blks) & Copper (10 pts, 2 rebs & a stl)PHO led by Griner (28 pts, 7 rebs, 2 asts, a stl & blk), Taurasi (16 pts, 2 rebs & 2 asts) & Diggins-Smith (16 pts, 8 asts, 2 rebs & a blk)CHI wins their 1st ever WNBA title led by coach James WadeParker spent her previous 13 years with the Los Angeles Sparks, but decided in free agency to come back to her hometown of Chicago to bring home a championship in her 1st season with the SkyCopper wins the Finals MVP beating out Vandersloot who you could make a case for winning itFor the Mercury, Taurasi says she returned to the team for the last year of her deal which will be her 20th seasonOther players who could be looking at retirement: Sue Bird (SEA), Sylvia Fowles (MIN) & Parker although I doubt she goes that routeFor next season, I'd imagine both the Connecticut Sun & the Las Vegas Aces will come roaring back after disappointing postseasonsCOVID has kind of set sports out of sync with this CHI team who was a .500 team winning it allAll in all, a great season for the WNBA overall with the talk of expansion on the horizon