The Phoenix Mercury get off the snide with their first win of the 2023 season, with a win over another winless team coming in the (0-3) Minnesota Lynx.

The Mercury got off to a hot shooting start in the first half by hitting 11 of 17 three-pointers and got close to the franchise record of threes (16) and the league record of 18, but the team shooting flame died out as they only finished with 13 on the night.

The guard play of Diana Taurasi, Sug Sutton, and Mariah Jefferson have been a deadly combination and a boost for a team losing both its starting guard (Skylar Diggins-Smith) and its backup point guard (Shey Peddy) being out so far this season.

The three combined for 50 points and 15 assists and allowed Britney Griner to not have to get as many touches in the paint, she only finished with nine total touches on the night.

In the press conference at the end of the game Diana called teammate Sophie Cunningham the team’s X-factor when she is on the court, and she was almost back to her usual energetic self on Thursday night.

Cunningham was disappointed in her performance of 13 points on 4 of 10 shooting and particularly her three-point shooting numbers 3 of 8 on the night.