How The Mercury Established Themselves In 2005

After their solid 2004 season, the Mercury were under .500 the following year. However, it was only a few games. They were 16-18 that year, and after adding another star, they inched closer to the playoffs.

Things were looking up for the Mercury, although the 2005 season started with a loss. Phoenix faced the Sacramento Monarchs, and Sacramento got the win. The Monarchs beat the Mercury 77-72, despite nice games from Diana Taurasi and Anna DeForge. They both had 20 points, and they contributed in other areas.

DeForge had five rebounds, four steals and an assist. Taurasi had seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. Then, the Mercury had another player who scored in double figures, as Belinda Snell had 11 points off the bench.

Phoenix lost its second game, as the Indiana Fever picked up an 83-76 victory. The Mercury fell to 0-2, while the Fever improved to 2-0.

Mercury get their first victory

After losing to the Fever, the Mercury picked up their first win. They beat the Charlotte Sting, and while they lost the next three games, they snapped that streak with a win over the Los Angeles Sparks.

The Mercury had ups and downs throughout the season, and in their final game of the season, they lost to the Seattle Storm. That was their third loss in a row, as the Monarchs and the Houston Comets beat them before that.

The Mercury missed the playoffs once again, but they were on the right path. The playoffs were within reach, and eventually, Taurasi and her teammates would make history.

When it came to the Phoenix Suns, they made the playoffs once again. They finished the season with a record of 54-28, and they were second in the Western Conference. The San Antonio Spurs were ahead of them, and they had a record of 63-19.

The Suns were led by Steve Nash, who won back-to-back Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards at that time. He played well, and in the end, he helped the Suns make the Western Conference Finals. They beat the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers to get to that point. Then, the Dallas Mavericks beat them 4-2, and the Mavericks went to the NBA Finals for the first time. They lost to the Miami Heat, as Dwyane Wade led his team to its first championship.

Overall, Nash and his team were playing well, and they were making the playoffs. For Taurasi and her teammates, they were getting closer to their goal. Both teams were in good spaces, and the Mercury would accomplish something special later on.

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