Kahleah Copper contributed nine of her game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter, helping the visiting Phoenix Mercury secure an 86-82 win over the struggling Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday.
Alyssa Thomas recorded a triple-double with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists; Monique Akoa Makani tallied 14 points and Natasha Mack added 10 off the bench, as the Mercury earned consecutive victories following a five-game skid.
Copper shot 4-for-5 in the fourth quarter and finished 10-of-16 overall, marking her ninth 20-point effort in the last 11 games.
Dearica Hamby posted 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Nneka Ogwumike contributed 13 points and 13 rebounds, as the Sparks dropped their eighth game in ten outings since All-Star guard Kelsey Plum suffered a left-leg injury.
Ogwumike, back with Los Angeles after two seasons in Seattle, surpassed Candace Parker for second on the franchise’s all-time rebounding list with 3,483 career boards.
Rae Burrell led the Sparks with 20 points and Ariel Atkins chipped in 15. Burrell, who made 7 of 16 field goals and dished two assists, has started the past ten games at point guard filling in for Plum.
Los Angeles mounted a late rally, cutting an 84-76 deficit with 2:49 left to 84-82 with 48 seconds remaining on a Burrell layup.
Following a Phoenix Mercury turnover, Los Angeles had a chance to tie with 19 seconds left, but Hamby’s layup attempt rimmed out.
Makani clinched the win for Phoenix with a layup with 14 seconds on the clock.
The Sparks shot just 35 percent from the field in the opening half yet still trailed only 43-41 at halftime after a coast-to-coast floater from Burrell.
Copper, Thomas and Makani combined for 32 of Phoenix’s 43 first-half points while the Mercury shot 45.7 percent; Hamby entered the break with a game-high nine points for Los Angeles.
After three quarters the game stood at 60-60, featuring ten ties and eight lead changes.
–Field Level Media
