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WNBA Finals 2021: Keys to the Phoenix Mercury-Chicago Sky matchup

(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

The stage is set and two teams remain as the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury tip off a best-of-five series Sunday for a WNBA championship.

The Mercury advanced to their fourth WNBA Finals after defeating the second-seeded Las Vegas Aces in a thrilling five-game semifinal series. They got there by taking out the New York Liberty and Seattle Storm in first- and second-round single-elimination games. The last time the Mercury were in the Finals in 2014, they swept the Sky to earn their third WNBA title.

Phoenix won all three meetings between the two teams during the regular season, with two of the games decided by single possessions.

Despite depleted depth with injuries to Kia Nurse and Sophie Cunningham, the Mercury’s core of Olympians has found a way. Brittney Griner has led the way with 21 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in the playoffs, while Diana Taurasi has averaged 19.7 points per game and engineered multiple late-game comebacks.

The Sky, meanwhile, are playing their best basketball of the season at the right time. After finishing the regular season in sixth place with a 16-16 record, Chicago flipped a switch in the playoffs, defeating the Dallas Wings and Minnesota Lynx in the single-elimination rounds before upsetting the top-ranked Connecticut Sun 3-1 in the semifinals.

Chicago has not been to the WNBA Finals since that 2014 meeting with Phoenix. Allie Quigley and Courtney Vandersloot, who form the longest-tenured backcourt in the league, were a part of that team seven years ago. The Sky will lean on their chemistry, the championship experience of Candace Parker and the firepower of Kahleah Copper, who’s averaging a team-high 18.2 points per game in the playoffs.

What will it take for the Sky to earn their first-ever WNBA championship, or for Phoenix to win their fourth? We break down the Finals matchup, with keys for each team and a championship prediction.

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Candace Parker (Kena Krutsinger/NBAE via Getty Images)

Keys for the Chicago Sky

Energy and toughness

It takes a certain amount of grit to finish .500 in an up-and-down season and take your play to another level in the playoffs. The Sky have been the toughest team on the court throughout the postseason, no matter which opponent they’ve faced. They feed off of the energy of Copper, who will need to continue to be the most consistent player on the roster for Chicago to win a title.

The Sky will have success if they take advantage of their depth in this series. As a team that thrives on an up-tempo style of play, they need to run at the Mercury and expose their tired legs in the open court.

Rebound the basketball

This has been a major key for Chicago all season long. The Sky have been able to control the glass during the playoffs with a plus-two rebound margin against their opponents. Out-rebounding the Mercury will be no easy task with the 6-foot-9 Griner in the paint, but the Sky’s communication and rotations will need to be on point for them to limit Phoenix’s second-chance opportunities and create looks for themselves.

Offensive versatility

The Sky have five players who average double-figure scoring. Vandersloot, their lead facilitator, has been brilliant at finding her teammates in the situations where they are most successful. And as a team, the Sky are averaging 20.7 assists per game.

With steady and consistent performances from Parker, Copper and Vandersloot, Chicago can force the Mercury to pick their poison every night in terms of defensive schemes.

Limit turnover numbers

At this point, possession is an automatic key for any Sky game. So far in the playoffs, they haven’t let turnovers affect the outcomes of games as much as they did during the regular season, especially against the Sun, but a trend that plagued them earlier in the year could return. The last two semifinal games, in particular, got a bit sloppy for both teams.

Chicago plays fast and makes quick decisions, so some turnovers can be expected. But in order to win three more games and bring a championship back to Chicago, the Sky will need to limit their unforced turnovers and value every possession.

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Diana Taurasi (Jeff Bottari/NBAE via Getty Images)

Keys for the Phoenix Mercury

Others need to step up

Phoenix’s depth has been a reason for concern all season, but it’s reached a new level with Nurse out for the Finals with a torn ACL and Cunningham trying to work her way back from a calf injury. Coach Sandy Brondello said Friday night that the team expects Cunningham to return for Game 2 on Wednesday.

In their absence, the Mercury know what they’ll get from the “Big 3” of Taurasi, Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith. They’ll need Brianna Turner and Shey Peddy to continue to elevate their offensive production and defensive contributions to sustain Chicago’s depth.

Establish Griner immediately

Griner is playing the best basketball of her career at this moment. The Sky have length, versatility and size inside, but none of their post players can match up one-for-one with Griner. Running their offense through her so she can assert her dominance in the paint early on is as important as anything else. Where Griner goes, this Mercury team goes, and their hopes of winning a title depend on her playing the way she has been.

A fast start

Phoenix needs to apply immediate pressure to Chicago in this series. If the Mercury go down two games at home, I don’t see them being able to rebound on the road and win a championship. It’s critical they secure at least one win on Sunday or Wednesday to give themselves a shot.

Diana Taurasi

The X-factor in this fairytale rematch is Taurasi, the 2014 Finals MVP. The 39-year-old has continued to remind everyone why she’s in consideration for the title of the WNBA’s greatest player of all time. Taurasi has led the Mercury to all three of their championships in 2007, 2009 and 2014. She scored a playoff career-high 37 points in Game 2 of the semifinals and led Phoenix’s comeback in Game 5 on Friday night with 14 points in the fourth quarter.

Taurasi in a WNBA Final is something special, and Phoenix has always relied on her to be at her best in these moments.

Prediction

Chicago Sky 3-2

This series is going to be a battle. As remarkable as the Mercury have been with very little margin for error, I think their lack of depth will catch up to them and be the difference in the series, giving the Sky their first championship in franchise history.

Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at Just Women’s Sports. A former professional basketball player and collegiate coach, she also contributes to Winsidr. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachGall.

Wimbledon Increases Prize Money, Winner to Receive $4.07 Million

Czechia's Barbora Krejčíková celebrates a point during the 2024 Wimbledon final.
2025 Wimbledon competitors could win up to 11.1% more prize money this year. (Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images)

Wimbledon is leveling up, as the annual London-based Grand Slam announced Thursday that it's increasing its purse by 7% across the board in 2025, pushing the total prize money to £53.5 million ($72.59 million) ahead of tennis tournament's June 30th kick-off.

Both the 2025 women's and men's singles champions will earn winner's checks in the amount of £3 million ($4.07 million) — an 11.1% increase over the amount won by 2024 champ Barbora Krejčíková.

With increases across all Slam events, from singles and doubles to wheelchair competitions, even athletes who stumble early will see a raise over last year's competition.

For example, singles players ousted in this year's first round will take home 10% more than in 2024, earning deposits of £66,000 ($89,530).

The 2025 total purse now doubles the prize money offered by the tournament a decade ago, and makes Wimbledon the biggest potential payday across all four of the sport's Grand Slams.

"We're immensely proud of the fact that, if you look back 10 years, you can see the increase over that period and 7% this year," said All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club chair Deborah Jevans. "And we have listened to the players, we have engaged with the players."

Canadian Swimmer Summer McIntosh Breaks 3rd World Record in Five Days

Canadian star swimmer Summer McIntosh competes in a 2025 race.
Summer McIntosh recorded three world records in five days at the 2025 Canadian swimming trials. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Teen swimmer Summer McIntosh made a major splash at the 2025 Canadian Swimming Trials, shattering three world records in just five days of competition in Victoria, BC.

First on Saturday, the Toronto swimmer shaved 1.2 seconds off the Australian Ariarne Titmus's 400-meter freestyle mark to set a new world record time of 3:54.18.

Then on Monday, McIntosh took down a decade-old record in the 200-meter individual medley (IM), becoming the first woman swimmer to complete the race in less than 2:06.00.

Just two days later, the 18-year-old McIntosh broke her own 400-meter IM world record, besting her 2024 Canadian Olympic Trials time by 0.73 seconds with a 4:23.65 race Wednesday.

With her unstoppable week-long performance, McIntosh became the first swimmer to set three new world records in different individual events at one meet since US legend Michael Phelps's historic run at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"Going into tonight, I knew I could do something really special because this has probably been the best meet of my career," McIntosh told reporters after Wednesday's race.

That said, the young star is already eyeing new times — and new records.

"Overall, [I'm] happy with the time, but I know I can go faster," said McIntosh following her 400-meter IM performance. "The faster I swim, the happier I am."

NWSL Returns to California for 2025 Championship Weekend

View of PayPal Park during a 2025 NWSL match.
San Jose's PayPal Park will host the 2025 NWSL Championship in November. (Eakin Howard/NWSL via Getty Images)

The NWSL Championship is on its way back West, with the league announcing on Friday morning that the 2025 title match will kick off from PayPal Park in San Jose, California.

Hosted at the home pitch of 2024 expansion team Bay FC, the game will take place on Saturday, November 22nd.

In addition to the championship match, the 2025 NWSL season's final weekend will include a variety of supporting events like Fan Fest and the annual Skills Challenge competition.

"We're thrilled to bring the NWSL Championship back to the West Coast and to a region with as rich a history in women's soccer as the Bay Area," said NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman in a league statement.

Citing a long list of former USWNT stars with local ties, including Julie Foudy, Kelley O'Hara, and Alex Morgan, Bay FC co-founder Brandi Chastain — a US legend herself — called the Bay Area "the place women's soccer calls home."

"Our community's fabric is woven with the greatest the game has to offer," explained Chastain.

"This community's passion for the game, combined with the excitement surrounding one of our newest teams in Bay FC, makes it the perfect setting to celebrate the league's top talent and crown our next champion," said Berman.

How to attend and watch the 2025 NWSL Championship

Like last year, the 2025 NWSL Championship will air in primetime, with CBS set to broadcast the match live at 8 PM ET on November 22nd.

Tickets to the game will be available for purchase beginning in August, though interested fans can sign up for presale access online now.

NWSL, WNBA Player Unions Address ICE Raids, Voice Solidarity with Los Angeles

Orlando Pride players huddle before a 2025 NWSL match.
The NWSLPA and the WNBPA put out a joint statement addressing this week's ICE raids in Los Angeles. (Alex Menendez/Getty Images)

The NWSL and WNBA Players Associations teamed up to release a joint statement on Thursday, with the unions expressing their solidarity with "all people seeking safety, dignity, and opportunity" after the recent ICE raids and ensuing protests in Los Angeles.

The move comes after Angel City published their own social media post addressing the ICE raids last Saturday, with the Los Angeles NWSL club noting "We know that our city is stronger because of its diversity and the people and families who shape it, love it, and call it home."

ACFC also directed immigrants in need of assistance in the wake of the ICE raids to two community organizations: the Coalition of Humane Immigrant Rights and the LA County Office of Immigrant Affairs.

Calling the WNBA Players Association "leaders in this space," NWSL Players Association executive director Meghann Burke told The Athletic that the basketball union initiated their joint statement.

"It's important to stand together as workers' unions," she noted.

NWSL and WNBA unions speak to families impacted by ICE raids

"It's not lost on us that this country and the world are in turmoil right now," wrote the NWSLPA and WNBPA. "Across the country, families are facing fear, hardship, and uncertainty tied to immigration."

The athlete unions then crystallized their position, saying, "We stand with all people seeking safety, dignity, and opportunity, no matter where they come from or where they hope to go."

"Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect," they continued. "We know not every situation is simple. But offering compassion should never be up for debate."

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