Kelsey Plum hits game winner in debut with Phoenix Mercury

In her Phoenix Mercury debut, Kelsey Plum put her new team in the win column.

The 9-year veteran had the ball in her hands as her team trailed by 1 with about a minute to play. She tried to drive to the basket but was met by the 6-foot-7 frame of Kamille Cardoso, so Plum dribbled to the corner, sized up the Chicago Sky’s center and drained the game-winning 3-pointer with 53.2 seconds left. The Mercury held the Sky scoreless the rest of the game to win 106-101.

In her first game for Phoenix, Plum finished with 20 points and four assists in 20 minutes. She hit 6 of 10, including 3 of 5 3-pointers. She has not played since June 21 due to a calf injury and has not had time to practice with the Mercury, arriving in Chicago a day early after trade from the Los Angeles Sparks.

As she put it before the game: “It’s a cocktail for success, as far as I’m concerned.” Her (joking) words proved prophetic.

Phoenix is ​​12-19, seven losses out of a playoff spot with 13 games to go. A loss would be disastrous, and the Mercury looked that way when they were down 7 with 7:22 to play. Instead, the new big three of Plum, Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas combined for the next 11 points: Plum assisted Thomas on the and-1, then Copper and Thomas hit three more free throws before Plum hit a dagger.