Natasha Cloud's overtime 3 lifts Liberty over Mercury in Game 1

PHOENIX — Natasha Cloud hit a go-ahead 3-pointer in overtime and finished with a game-high 23 points to lead the New York Liberty to a 76-69 victory over the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of their first-round WNBA series Sunday night.

After securing the opening jump ball of the extra period, Cloud called for a screen from Jonquel Jones, moved right and calmly sank a wide-open triple after Kahleah Copper ran into the long, 6-foot-6 roll of Jones. The shot gave the Liberty a lead they did not relinquish and capped a performance that also included six rebounds, five assists and four steals.

Cloud said she embraces those moments. "I know who I am in these moments," she said. "When these bright lights come on, I'm a f--king dog, and when I say that, I mean that s--t." She earlier hit a similar long-range shot in the first quarter that kept Phoenix's defense honest and helped set the tone for her night.

The matchup featured a recurring duel between Cloud and Copper, who traded animated gestures and physical plays through the second quarter. After Copper converted a tough pull-up following a foul by Cloud and flexed, Cloud answered later by driving past Copper and celebrating a three-point play in kind. Copper called their matchup "a great battle" after the game; Cloud said the on-court heat does not affect their off-court relationship.

"I love it," Cloud said, smiling. "People think a lot of times the s--t-talking on the court is hostile, whatever. It makes the game better. It entertains y'all better, as well, and as competitors, as dogs, like me and Kah [are] from [Philadelphia], we're gonna go head-to-head."

Beyond scoring, Cloud's defense and activity on the ball were factors in New York's win. She pressured Phoenix's backcourt, disrupted passing lanes and produced four steals that helped swing momentum at key stretches. The Liberty's offense relied on ball movement and pick-and-roll actions that freed Cloud for several open looks.

Cloud denied that the game was about revenge. She said lingering tensions from a surprising offseason transaction had been addressed earlier in the year when she and Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts "cleared the air" during New York's earlier visit to Phoenix. Cloud said any bad blood had been resolved and framed the night as an opportunity to perform for her teammates and for the childhood aspirations that drove her competitive instincts.

"So it is. We're competitors on the floor, we're gonna go at each other, but my love and my respect has always been there for Kah," Cloud said. She added that the win felt especially meaningful because of the long-held dream of making a game-winning play on a big stage: "I thrive in these moments because as a competitor, as a dog, these are the moments you dream about."

The Liberty took a 1-0 lead in the best-of series. New York's balanced attack and Cloud's late-game execution provided an early playoff edge, while Phoenix will look to respond in Game 2 as the series continues at PHX Arena.