The post Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas makes WNBA history with Game 3 triple-double vs. Liberty appeared first on ClutchPoints.

Alyssa Thomas made incredible WNBA playoff history in Game 3 of the Phoenix Mercury’s first-round series against the New York Liberty on Friday night.

History was written under the brightest lights as Alyssa Thomas delivered the performance of her life in Game 3 against the New York Liberty, etching her name permanently into the WNBA record books.

In a stunning overtime thriller that had fans gasping until the very last second, Thomas racked up an eye-popping triple-double — 18 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists — the first ever in WNBA playoff history. The stat sheet wasn’t just impressive; it was jaw-dropping, leaving commentators, coaches, and even opponents shaking their heads in disbelief.

For a player long celebrated for her toughness, court vision, and relentless hustle, Thomas elevated her game to a level no one could ignore. With the pressure of the postseason weighing heavy, she orchestrated every possession with surgical precision, refusing to let her team falter. When shots needed creating, she found them. When the Liberty crashed the boards, she ripped rebounds out of the sky. And when teammates cut through traffic, her passes were lasers. It wasn’t just a game — it was a masterclass in leadership under fire.

The Liberty, riding high behind MVP Breanna Stewart’s heroics, looked poised to take control early. Stewart poured in clutch baskets and rallied her squad to keep the contest razor-tight. But as the game stretched into overtime, the momentum shifted decisively toward Thomas and her crew. Every rebound she grabbed, every dime she dished, seemed to suck the energy out of Liberty fans, who sat stunned as history unfolded before their eyes. By the final buzzer, Stewart’s brilliance was overshadowed by the sheer historic weight of Thomas’s feat.

Tempers flared and chaos ensued as the final minutes were marred by controversial officiating. Liberty players and coaches erupted over calls — or lack thereof — with fans on social media instantly lighting up with accusations of bias. “Refs under fire” became the hot topic, as replay after replay sparked debate about missed fouls and questionable whistles that fueled the already wild atmosphere. Still, even with officiating under scrutiny, nothing could eclipse the immensity of what Thomas accomplished.

Phoenix lost Game 1 76-69 in overtime before bouncing back with an 86-60 blowout win in Game 2 on the road. With the series being a best-of-three, the Game 3 winner would advance to the next round. Not only that but beating the Liberty would mean that there will be a new WNBA champion for the 2025 season.

Thomas understood the stakes as she delivered a huge performance in front of her home crowd. She finished with a stat line of 20 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, two steals, and one block. She shot 7-of-18 from the field and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. As a result, her triple-double efforts made playoff history, per ESPN’s Alexa Philippou.

“Alyssa Thomas has a 19-point triple-double. That’s the most points for a triple-double in WNBA playoff history,” Philippou wrote.

How Alyssa Thomas, Mercury played against Liberty

Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Alyssa Thomas’ incredible display helped the Mercury pull off a difficult feat, dethroning the Liberty with a 79-73 win to clinch the first-round series.

It was a back-and-forth affair between the two squads, as neither wanted to lose control in the series decider. Breanna Stewart kept New York in the game for as long as she could, having 30 points and nine rebounds throughout the night. However, it wasn’t enough as Phoenix made enough plays down the stretch to fend off the Liberty.

Perimeter shooting and rebounding made a huge difference in this matchup. The Mercury knocked down nine 3-pointers on an accuracy of 37.5% while crashing the glass for 49 rebounds. It wasn’t the same case for the Liberty, only converting seven triples at a 21.9% clip while securing 33 rebounds.

Four players scored in double-digits on Phoenix’s behalf, including Thomas. Satou Sabally lit up the nets with 23 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block. She shot 6-of-14 overall, including 4-of-9 from downtown, and 7-of-9 from the charity stripe. Sami Whitcomb came next with 14 points and a steal, while Kahleah Copper provided 12 points and nine rebounds.

The Mercury will await their next series matchup on the left side of the playoff bracket. They will face the 1-seed Minnesota Lynx as Game 1 will take place on Sept. 21.

Her coach could only scream one word on the sideline as the scoreboard flashed the final result: “Unreal!” It wasn’t just about the victory, or the history, but about how Thomas had willed her team through sheer determination. That word quickly became the anthem of the night, plastered across highlight reels, tweets, and celebratory posts.

Fans and analysts alike immediately began to put the night into context. Triple-doubles in the WNBA are rare enough in regular season play — in the postseason, they had been mythical, something whispered about but never actually seen. For Thomas to break that barrier, and do it on the road against a powerhouse Liberty squad, amplified the moment tenfold. The win didn’t just give her team an edge in the series; it cemented her as one of the league’s all-time greats.

Meanwhile, Liberty supporters were left stunned and silent, many struggling to process how Stewart’s heroic performance could end up wasted in the face of Thomas’s all-around dominance. Social media buzzed with frustration, heartbreak, and reluctant admiration. Even rival fans couldn’t help but admit they had witnessed something special, posting messages like: “I hate that it happened to us, but Alyssa Thomas just made history. Respect.”

By the time the dust settled, one truth was undeniable: the WNBA had just experienced one of its greatest playoff games ever, punctuated by a performance that will be replayed and remembered for years. Alyssa Thomas didn’t just shock the Liberty — she shocked the league, raising the bar for what’s possible under the playoff spotlight. And with the series still alive, the question now looms: can she do it again, or was this a once-in-a-lifetime eruption of greatness?