Why The Mercury Made Lineup Changes In 2005

The Phoenix Mercury drafted Diana Taurasi in 2004, and before that, they brought in Penny Taylor. Taylor was playing for the Cleveland Rockers, but after the 2003 season, the team folded. Taylor and her teammates were a part of a dispersal draft, and with the first pick of that draft, the Mercury added a key piece. Phoenix finished the 2004 season with a record of 17-17, which was an improvement from previous seasons. The Mercury's new stars proved that they can lead the team to victory, and while Phoenix had a slightly worse record in 2005, the team was headed in the right direction. Phoenix started that season with a loss to the Sacramento Monarchs. Sacramento picked up a 77-72 win, and after that game, the Mercury lost to the Indiana Fever. The Fever beat them 83-76 in a game where Taurasi had 24 points. In the Mercury's first loss, Taurasi and Anna DeForge both had 20 points. They were starters, and they were joined by Ashley Robinson, Shereka Wright and Gwen Jackson. In the second loss, the lineup remai