The Las Vegas Aces might have won the WNBA title. But for the Phoenix Mercury, it was Alyssa Thomas who was the shining star. It was her impeccable performance that made Mercury get the better of the favorites, the Minnesota Lynx. She was even in the MVP discussion briefly owing to her sublime form.
Unfortunately, despite Thomas sending a bold threat to A’ja Wilson and co. ahead of Game 3, the Mercury were not able to make a comeback. Meanwhile, playing in the decisive Game 4, Thomas had a huge injury scare. But with her grit and determination, she did not let her injury get in the way. Despite a brutal collision in the first half with Jewell Loyd, Thomas still came out to play in the second. Yet, it was not enough to take her team over the line.
Alyssa Thomas Suffered A Brutal Injury Scare
Mercury came out all guns blazing, spearheaded by none other than Thomas. Desperate for a victory, Phoenix tried to put pressure on Becky Hammon’s girls right from the beginning. However, the ploy did not work as it was the Aces that had the lead. With the Mercury trailing 54-38, Thomas had a horrible collision with Loyd with just 9.2 seconds left in the second quarter.
While Thomas was tracking Aces guard Jackie Young, Loyd came in, setting up an illegal screen. As the Mercury star collided with Loyd, it was evident that she was seriously hurt. Thomas immediately went to the ground, clutching her right shoulder in pain. Although she briefly left the field, the 33-year-old returned to the game and powered through her injury.
Alyssa Thomas appeared to injure her shoulder on this illegal screen by Jewell Loyd. pic.twitter.com/4oLPGHVv1x
— ESPN (@espn) October 11, 2025
Surely, such a gesture had the crowd stand up in acknowledgment. Unfortunately, Wilson and co. turned out to be too good for the Mercury to get over. Meanwhile, as Nate Tibbetts channeled confidence in Thomas despite her foul surge, the 33-year-old lashed out at her team’s defense after Game 3.
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Alyssa Thomas Was Unhappy With Her Team’s Defense After Game 3
The Phoenix Mercury almost had the game in their pockets in Game 3 of the finals. With the scores tied at 88-88, it was A’ja Wilson who sealed an emphatic two-point shot with just 2.2 seconds remaining on the clock. Speaking about the game, Thomas pointed out that Phoenix’s defense was dismal to say the least. Surely, the team conceded as many as 55 points to the Aces in the first half. And this surely paints a sorry picture for Mercury.
“It’s no revenge and no elimination. We’ve had plenty of opportunities to go out there and get a win. At some point, we have to take it upon ourselves. Like I said, our first half was unacceptable, especially with the opportunity to play on your home court and go out there and get a win,” said Thomas.
Thus, despite showing immense grit and determination, Thomas failed to bring joy for her team. However, although she lost, her efforts will be remembered by the fans for a long time.