WNBA FINALS: LAS VEGAS VS. PHOENIX

October 8, 2025

Alyssa Thomas

DeWanna Bonner

Phoenix Mercury

Game 3: Postgame

Aces 90, Mercury 88

Q. Could you guys just discuss the fourth quarter comeback, what it took to pull that off and then some of the plays right down the stretch?

ALYSSA THOMAS: It's how we should be playing from the start. It took us too long to wake up and play defense.

I think the second half is our basketball and how we play. Shame on us for not coming out the way that we needed to come out.

Q. Alyssa, what have the Aces been throwing at you, especially in the first three quarters of this one that have just made it tough?

ALYSSA THOMAS: It's not about me. It's about moving them. At the end of the day, it's about getting each other open shots. All season long we've seen different defenses, so it's not about just one person. At the end of the day, it's about us playing connected, us playing for each other and getting each other open shots.

Q. You've had several comebacks since the first round, now this series, and tonight you had to fight your way back. Is it wear and tear on you guys to come back and get back in the fourth as you did, or is it just something where it's basically stretching that way?

DeWANNA BONNER: I mean, it's the Finals, so there's no wear and tear. You've just got to keep fighting. We're not just going to give up. It's hard to get here, so we're going to continue until the very end. I feel like that's what we've been doing all Playoffs is fighting our way back into it. Just proud of the effort that we did put in, but like Alyssa said, we can't start that way, especially not against them.

Q. What have you seen from Kahleah Copper in terms of her impact in the fourth quarter, and how did the team rally, especially after Satou went down in the fourth quarter?

DeWANNA BONNER: Yeah, I think it gave Kah an opportunity to be aggressive and find her stroke. She fueled the fourth quarter comeback for sure, and yeah, unfortunately Sa went down, but kudos to Kah for stepping up.

Q. You guys are veterans who have been in the Finals before. What were you saying to each other, to your teammates in the locker room to try and kind of recollect after this game and come back ahead on Friday?

DeWANNA BONNER: Defense. Our defensive effort in the first half was, like, unacceptable. Jewell came in and got them going with four straight threes and they got their hands on a lot of loose balls that led to a lot of threes. Our defense was unacceptable in the first half. I don't know why we came out like that, especially already down 0-2.

Q. There is that faith and that confidence you guys have in coming back in single games throughout the entire Playoffs. Is there anything daunting about being down 0-3 in a first to four type of series?

ALYSSA THOMAS: Yeah, we're facing 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.

Same thing goes for Game 4. We've got to come out from the start.

Q. DeWanna, Coach Nate mentioned that you came into today's game battling a sickness. How are you feeling physically?

DeWANNA BONNER: Same, sick. But it's the Finals, so I'm going to play regardless.

Q. DeWanna, in the second half especially, you got to the lane, you got in the driving lanes and finished down low. Tell me what you saw from the Vegas defense that really allowed you to attack the paint the way you did.

DeWANNA BONNER: I don't necessarily know if it was the Vegas defense. It was just me personally. I just knew Game 3 I needed to be more aggressive. I feel like the first two games in Vegas I was a little hesitant. I already had the mindset that I was going to come in and attack the paint today regardless. Just trying to be aggressive, just trying to get some points on the board for my team and do whatever I can on defense, defending A'ja, trying to make it tough, but she's the MVP for a reason.

Q. DeWanna, you came back to this franchise right before the start of the season. Was this what you were looking at, playing a whole season, getting to where you are right now, either win or lose, and having your best game of the season when it was most needed?

DeWANNA BONNER: I don't know if this is what I was looking for, but at the same time I knew the type of team we had. I knew they were already playing great before we got here, so I just wanted to contribute where I can. It doesn't feel any better than this to be in the Finals in a Mercury uniform again. It's pretty just an ideal situation, so I'm just blessed and honored to be able to do it again.

Q. What do you think globally the future of the franchise regardless of how this turned out?

DeWANNA BONNER: It's trending upward.

Q. AT, just on that last inbounds play to end the game from the Aces, did you guys expect A'ja to get the ball, and what was the defensive message from you guys collectively?

ALYSSA THOMAS: I mean, just to play defense. I think everybody expected her to get the shot. She took a tough contested shot and made it. It's just the way the ballgame goes.

Q. AT, I know that you have been here before. DB, you've been here before. I know you guys play hard for your team. On a personal level, knowing how much a championship means to you, is there any additional personal motivation for you coming into Friday, or is it just kind of the same focus as usual?

ALYSSA THOMAS: Yeah, I mean, we're in the Finals. It's a privilege. Not many people get this chance to play in the Finals. You can't let a moment like this pass you by. It's disappointing that we're down 3-0. It's disappointing that we didn't come out to play in the first half. Yeah, now we're facing elimination, and you've got to give everything you have or it's over.

Q. Kahleah spoke this morning about how in the first two games the defense struggled because players were just concerned about one-on-one matchups rather than help side. Is that how you would sum up some of the issues defensively tonight especially in the first half?

ALYSSA THOMAS: It was just about talking. You've got to communicate out there. I think in transition that's where they've been hurting us is just getting open threes. We've got to continue to be better. I think the second half we put out a better effort. We held them to lower averages, but still not good enough.

Q. For either of you, with how Game 1 ended down the stretch and then tonight, does it feel like this series is a lot closer than what the scorecard says, 3-0?

DeWANNA BONNER: Definitely. I feel like we had an opportunity to win Game 1 and tonight honestly. Couldn't ask for a better situation than that than to have a chance to win it at the end. Game 2, can't say too much about that one, but yeah, definitely it's a lot closer than what it felt. It felt heavy Game 2. Game 1 and Game 3 felt a lot better.

Q. For AT, you got more of Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young in this one as opposed to A'ja. I wondered how that affected your process as a help defender with you being more on the perimeter?

ALYSSA THOMAS: I don't think it affected it. I think having me on the ball, I think in the first two games, we didn't do a good job of picking up in transition and slowing them down. By putting me with size and physicality was just to make shots more difficult for them, and yeah, it's just the way the game is.