Why The Mercury Were Decent Against East Teams

The Phoenix Mercury made the playoffs in 2022, but they had to fight to get there. They finished the season with a record of 15-21, and they did it without one of their stars. Brittney Griner was out, as she dealt with a matter overseas. Phoenix had some new additions like Tina Charles and Diamond DeShields, but Charles did not stay the entire season. She played 16 games, and she averaged 17.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists. The All-Star center joined the Seattle Storm after her stint with the Mercury, and she played 18 games with them. Charles joined the Mercury in hopes of winning a championship, and the year before that, Phoenix came close. That year's team reached the WNBA Finals, but they lost to the Chicago Sky. Looking at the 2022 season, the Mercury were solid against Eastern Conference teams. They lost some of their season series, as the Atlanta Dream beat them 2-1. That series started with a big loss, as the Dream beat the Mercury 81-54. DeShields was Phoenix's leading scorer, and she had 23