The Aces and Mercury will meet in the WNBA Finals, with Game 1 tipping off Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
Las Vegas is coming off a thrilling series with the Fever in the semifinals, where they pulled out a decisive Game 5 in overtime to make their third finals appearance in the past four seasons. Phoenix climbed the mountaintop to defeat the No. 1 seed Lynx, who finished the regular season with a 34-10 record, to reach the finals in their first year after the Diana Taurasi era. The Mercury-Lynx series brought plenty of controversy surrounding officiating, plus Cheryl Reeve serving a one-game suspension in an elimination game and an unfortunate injury to Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier. Nonetheless, just two teams stand with a WNBA title on the line.
A'ja Wilson earned her fourth MVP award this season, while Alyssa Thomas continues to be an MVP-level player in her own right as she leads the Mercury—she’s the league's all-time leader in triple-doubles by a landslide. In the postseason, Thomas dropped a triple-double when it mattered most with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists during a winner-take-all Game 3 in their first-round series against the Liberty.
Over the offseason, the Mercury retooled their roster in incredible fashion following the departures of Taurasi and Brittney Griner, bringing in Thomas and Satou Sabally to star alongside Kahleah Copper. That's quite the big three, but the Aces may have the standard for a big three in the WNBA with Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray.
The WNBA Finals series between the Aces and Mercury will be about each team's star-studded core, but both sides can find additional ways to create an edge. Ahead of Game 1, here's an X-factor for both the Aces and the Mercury who could help their team swing the series:
Las Vegas Aces X-Factor: Jewell Loyd
Loyd has come off the bench for the Aces in each game over the postseason. She started each playoff game over her career prior to this year as she starred for the Storm. The new role doesn't inhibit Loyd's impact on this series, however. She's shot 38.2% on three-pointers on 4.3 attempts per game over the Aces' run to the WNBA Finals. That's the most attempts of anyone on the team besides Jackie Young, who's shooting 38.1% from three on 5.3 attempts per game.
Most of Loyd's offensive production has come from deep over the postseason. If she can get hot from three-point land over the series, the Aces should be able to exploit the Mercury, who are shooting just 31.4% from beyond the arc as a unit in the playoffs.
Mercury X-Factor: DeWanna Bonner
Another bench player playing heavy minutes, Bonner can provide the Mercury with a spark both offensively and on the glass.
Since her return to Phoenix after a brief stint with the Fever to start the season, the 16-year veteran has increased her offensive efficiency immensely, putting up 10.9 points per game with the Mercury compared to 7.1 with Indiana. Bonner's time with the Fever isn't necessarily the best data point as she played in only nine games with the team before her departure after an odd fit with the team. In the playoffs, she's averaging 6.7 rebounds per game, which is the most on the Mercury outside of Thomas (8.4) and Sabally (7.4) in nearly 10 less minutes a night.
The Mercury will need to limit the Aces and Wilson on the glass to end possessions and limit second-chance opportunities for Las Vegas' offense. Bonner will need to provide big minutes off the bench no matter what, but especially if any of her teammates find themselves in early foul trouble trying to keep Wilson at bay. Plus, Bonner was a part of Phoenix's championship teams in 2009 and '14. That veteran experience helps any team down the stretch of a grueling season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Biggest X-Factors for Mercury, Aces in 2025 WNBA Finals.
