Game 4 guide: Keys to an Aces sweep -- or Mercury extending the series

In the archetypal best-of-seven bid successful WNBA history, the Phoenix Mercury are attempting to bash thing that nary squad has ever done successful the WNBA oregon NBA: ascent retired of an 0-3 spread successful the Finals.

They had an accidental to instrumentality Game 3 connected Wednesday. Phoenix rallied from down 17 successful the 4th fourth to necktie the people with conscionable 5 seconds near successful regulation, but heroics from A'ja Wilson -- a jaw-dropping fadeaway implicit the outstretched arms of Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner -- present person the Mercury staring elimination successful the face.

They person shown signs of beingness successful this series, warring backmost against the Aces' dominance with 2 of the 3 games decided by a combined 5 points. And yet, Phoenix has failed to get a win. Now, its way to extending the bid becomes adjacent harder without guardant Satou Sabally, who has been ruled retired of Friday's crippled with a concussion.

What adjustments volition the Mercury request to marque without Sabally? What X factors person the Aces 1 triumph distant from their 3rd title successful 4 years? ESPN's Alexa Philippou, Kendra Andrews and Charlie Creme preview the imaginable keys to Friday's Game 4 (8 p.m., ESPN).

With Satou Sabally sidelined, what adjustments could the Mercury make? Who has to measurement up?

Alexa Philippou: The Mercury could commencement either Bonner oregon Sami Whitcomb successful spot of Sabally, oregon some could get the motion if Natasha Mack comes disconnected the bench. That's the lineup Phoenix closed with aft Sabally went down, with Whitcomb checking successful for Sabally and Mack sitting the full 2nd fractional successful spot of Bonner.

While Bonner had her astir impactful showing of the bid with 25 points successful Game 3, including 5 consecutive for Phoenix to adjacent the game, Whitcomb has been a nonfactor against Las Vegas. She has scored conscionable six points connected 2-for-16 shooting this bid and hasn't gotten connected the committee since Game 1. The Mercury could decidedly usage her scoring punch from heavy to regain immoderate foodstuff offensively.

Kendra Andrews: Alexa is close that the Mercury request much from their bench, but determination is added unit connected Thomas and Kahleah Copper.

For overmuch of these playoffs, the Mercury person gone arsenic Thomas -- their "engine" -- has gone. And truthful acold against the Aces, she hasn't had the aforesaid level of dominance she had heading into the Finals. Her postseason averages of 18.6 points and 9.1 assists fell to 13.0 points and 7.7 assists successful this series.

In Game 4, Thomas has to bring much controlled physicality, wherever she tin beryllium up connected her defender -- oregon whoever she is defending -- but not get called for fouls truthful she tin get into the spots she thrives successful and takes over.

Copper has scored 21, 23 and 17 points, respectively, successful the archetypal 3 games of the Finals. Without Sabally's team-high 21.6 points per crippled (in this series), the Mercury volition request Copper's cutting and finishing adjacent more.

Where person the Mercury struggled defensively?

Andrews: Copper said that the Mercury person mislaid immoderate of their connectivity and connection connected the antiaircraft end. They entered the Finals with the highest antiaircraft standing successful the postseason, holding opponents to 75.9 points per game. But they gave up 89 points successful Game 1, 91 points successful Game 2 and 90 successful Game 3 of this series.

It would beryllium unfair to accidental that their biggest priorit...