Mercury Rally Late to Beat Fire 94-91 in Portland

Phoenix closed strong after the FIBA break to hand Portland a narrow loss that leaves both teams out of playoff contention.

Overview

Phoenix pulled away in the fourth quarter to win 94-91, with Shay Ciezki scoring 22 points off the bench to spark the late run.
Emily Engstler led Portland with 21 points and five made 3-pointers, and Holly Winterburn added 18 points in a tight finish.
Alyssa Thomas’s late free throws and Sami Whitcomb’s pullup jumper helped Phoenix build the decisive lead, and Natasha Mack sealed the game with free throws after a Portland miss in the final seconds.
Several key players were absent after recent international play or injury, including Carla Leite and Megan DiLeo for Portland and Kahleah Copper and Kelsey Plum for Phoenix, which shaped rotations and playing time.
Both teams have been eliminated from playoff contention and now shift focus to roster and rotation decisions as the regular season ends, with Phoenix headed to Dallas next and Portland to Golden State.