The third quarter explosion that Jackie Young showcased in WNBA Finals unleashed on October 5, 2025 wasn’t just impressive basketball. It was a statement about who can handle championship pressure and who crumbles under it. Young torched the Phoenix Mercury for 21 points in the third quarter alone, setting a WNBA Finals record for points in a single period. Further, she finished with 32 points on incredible 12 of 20 shooting by hitting everything she looked at. A’ja Wilson added 28 points and 14 rebounds in her typical dominant fashion. Now, The final score of 91 to 78 gives Las Vegas a commanding 2 to 0 series lead, but the numbers barely capture the gap. One stunned fan watching the massacre unfold wrote, “Legendary performance. Nearly the WNBA record for most in a quarter (22 by Taurasi, Sykes, & Lloyd) and she did it in the Finals.”
Las Vegas: Ice Water Running Through Their Veins
Championship teams have a certain look about them. They don’t panic. They just execute and make you pay for every defensive mistake. Jackie Young in WNBA Finals embodied that mentality perfectly in the third quarter.
Young’s scoring came from everywhere. Mid range jumpers that barely touched net. Three pointers that splashed through. Five free throws without a single miss. The Mercury threw different defenders at her, tried different schemes, adjusted their rotations but nothing worked.
A’ja Wilson provided the perfect complement. The league MVP controlled the paint with 14 rebounds while scoring 28 points on efficient 13 of 23 shooting. Wilson’s presence kept Phoenix’s defense honest, preventing them from doubling Young or selling out to stop the perimeter attack.
The depth makes Las Vegas even more terrifying. Chelsea Gray quietly posted 10 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds, orchestrating the offense while Young and Wilson got theirs. As one sharp fan pointed out, “Don’t sleep on Gray’s 10/10/8 either, what an wonderful game from those 3.” When your third option puts up a near triple double and it barely gets mentioned, you’re probably destroying people.
Phoenix: Drowning in the Moment
The Mercury aren’t just losing. They’re getting exposed. The 91 to 78 final score actually flatters Phoenix. When Young went supernova in the third quarter, scoring 21 points by herself, the entire Mercury team had no response. That’s not bad luck or an off night. That’s a team feeling the championship pressure and having no answers.
Phoenix’s defensive strategy has completely failed. They can’t stop Young’s scoring, contain Wilson’s dominance and slow down Gray’s playmaking. Two games into this Finals, the Mercury look like a team that doesn’t belong on the same court as Las Vegas. The confidence they played with all season has disappeared.
The mental burden gets heavier with each loss. Every possession carries more pressure. Every mistake becomes magnified. Phoenix needs a miracle performance in Game 3 just to get back in this series. Right now, only one team looks ready for this moment, and it’s wearing silver and black.
