In the first meeting between the Mercury and Lynx this season, Phoenix came out on top 81-66 behind DeWanna Bonner’s game-high 22 points. At the time, it was a pretty big win for the Mercury since it came without Brittney Griner.

The two teams would look very different on Saturday, however, as Griner would make her season debut.

Phoenix cut the Minnesota lead to single digits late in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t quite enough as the Mercury fell to the Lynx 71-56. Phoenix shot just 33 percent from the field while Minnesota finished 43 percent from the floor and 67 percent from beyond the arc.

The Mercury fell to 3-5 on the season in the loss.

A few takeaways from #MercAtLynx:

Brittney Griner’s Impressive in Season Debut 

Saturday’s game against the Lynx marked the season debut of 2014 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Brittney Griner.

BG finished with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds to go along with two blocks on 56 percent shooting.

Griner only tallied nine total shot attempts in the loss, something that was to-be-expected for her first game but will likely change in the team’s upcoming contests at home on Tuesday and Thursday.

Taking Care of the Ball

Prior to Saturday’s game, the Mercury averaged 12.57 turnovers per game this season, second fewest in the WNBA.

Conversely, Phoenix is forcing 16.57 turnovers per game this season, third most in the league. The +4.00 differential is second in the WNBA only to Connecticut.

Against the Lynx, though, Phoenix turned the ball over 20 times and forced just 12 Minnesota turnovers. Indeed, this led to more shot attempts from the Lynx which is never good when taking on a team of their caliber.

Developing Chemistry Will Take Time

Practicing with Brittney Griner is one thing; playing in an actual game with her is another thing entirely.

BG is one of the rare players who dramatically impacts the game on both ends of the floor and it’s difficult to replicate how that looks in a practice setting.

The good news? The Mercury returns home for two games next week after concluding a tough, three-game road trip in Minnesota.