Mercury fall at Golden State in 2nd of back-to-back to open 2026 season

The Phoenix Mercury couldn't make it two in a row to start the WNBA season Sunday, May 10, but they'll likely be happy with a split after falling to the Golden State Valkyries , 95-79, a day after upsetting the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces. The Valkyries battered the Mercury with a 20-11 second quarter that made the score 48-31, but Phoenix battled back, outscoring Golden State 31-18 in the third quarter. The Valkyries put the game away with a 29-17 fourth quarter, however, and forced 17 Mercury turnovers while committing only 10.

Janelle Salaun finished with 21 points off the bench to lead Golden State, while Kayla Thornton and Gabby Williams scored 19 points apiece. Alyssa Thomas led the Mercury with another strong game, scoring 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting while hitting 9 of 12 from the free throw line. She added eight rebounds and a game-high 11 assists.

Jovana Nogic, in her first season with Phoenix, had another big game, making 5 of 6 field goal attempts, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range, to finish with 16 points. The Mercury return to Arizona for their home opener on May 12, against the Minnesota Lynx. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Mercury lose at Golden State after win over Las Vegas