Phoenix's Wins Over Conference Rivals Lead To History

The Mercury were first in the Western Conference that year, and they were great in games against conference rivals. They were 17-5 in those games, and they started things off with a win over the Silver Stars.

Phoenix beat San Antonio 81-72 in that game, and Diana Taurasi led the way with 20 points. She also had six rebounds, four assists and a steal. The Mercury had three other players who scored in double figures, and Tangela Smith was the second-leading scorer.

Smith had 17 points, three assists and three rebounds. She was a new addition to the team, as the Mercury acquired her in a deal with the Minnesota Lynx.

Mercury bring in a veteran

Minnesota acquired Smith through a dispersal draft, as the Charlotte Sting folded after the 2006 season. Smith's time with the Lynx was brief, and she ended up in Phoenix before the start of the season.

The Mercury received Smith after drafting Lindsey Harding. Phoenix had the first pick of that year's draft, and instead of keeping Harding, the Mercury sent her to Minnesota. Smith made an impact right away as the game against San Antonio was one of many solid performances from here.

In the win over San Antonio, Kelly Miller was third in scoring as she had 15 points. Then, Kelly Mazzante had 12.

The Mercury lost to a Western Conference team immediately after that game, as the Storm beat them 100-87. However, they bounced back with a big win over the Houston Comets. They continued to play West teams, and their next loss against a conference rival was Minnesota's 90-85 win over them.

Phoenix was playing well, and it was a while before they lost another game against a conference rival. However, the Silver Stars beat them 87-77 later on. The Mercury were on a mission, and in the end, all of their hard work paid off.