Just 20 hours after a gut-wrenching double overtime loss to the Atlanta Dream the Mercury hit the road up to the Pacific Northwest to face the Seattle Storm.
The game itself started off as bad as it can with Sue Bird lighting up the Mercury for 13 first quarter points. Bird was on fire from everywhere on the court, especially from deep as her three makes from deep were the difference after one.
More alarming than the early start for Bird was her sustained excellence in the first half. She finished the first half with nine field goals and the Mercury as a team ended with eight themselves. Not a recipe for success on the road against a quality team.
At the half the Mercury trailed 45-28 because they could not contain Bird who had 26 in the first half.
The second half was nearly a repeat of the third quarter the other night where the Mercury allowed the Dream back in the game. In an early flurry the lead was cut to 14 and had some momentum. It was short lived however as the Storm rattled off a run that was the final blow.
When the dust settled the Mercury (4-13) fell to the Storm (8-9) by the final of 83-68.
"Give credit to Seattle," stated DeWanna Bonner after the game. "They played a great game tonight. They were knocking down shots. Sue (Bird) played one of the best games I've seen her play. She was lights out in the first half."
For Bonner it was a nightmare of a game. She tried to force the action early and it did not go her way. It was her overall worst performance of the season as she finished with 12 points (2-11 shooting) with only 3 rebounds. The 12 points tied her season low and the rebounds were one off of her season low.
The season as a whole has to have taken an effect on Bonner. She has gone from Sixth Woman Candidate to the star of the team. Statistically she has been able to perform on that level, but it has to have worn on her mentally.
For the second straight night the team struggled shooting (32.8% for the game) and could not connect from deep (2-17) despite their insistence on shooting them in bulk.
There is a little time for reflection as the Mercury host the Los Angeles Sparks at home on Tuesday, July 10th at 12:30 p.m.