Mercury vs. Wings: Kahleah Copper Scores 31 and Hits the Game-Winner With 2.4 Seconds Left

Paige Bueckers scored 30, set a Dallas record for points in a season and drilled a 28-footer that put the Wings up three with 33.3 seconds to play. On most nights, that is the headline. On Monday night in Phoenix, it was the setup for somebody else's punchline.

Kahleah Copper poured in 31 points, 16 of them in the fourth quarter, and her backdoor layup off an Alyssa Thomas pass with 2.4 seconds left gave the Phoenix Mercury an 87-86 win over the Dallas Wings in front of 11,941 at Mortgage Matchup Center. Thomas, who threw that final dime, logged her fifth triple-double of the season, per the AP, with 15 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds.

Dallas Controlled Almost Everything

For three quarters, this looked like Dallas' night. The Wings led 26-19 after one, 47-43 at the half and then ripped off an 8-0 run midway through the third quarter to go up 64-54. They stretched it to 68-55 late in the period.

Phoenix punched back with eight straight points that carried into the fourth, but Dallas reestablished control and led 74-63 early in the final quarter. The Wings led by as many as 14 overall and were in front for 94% of the game, per the box score. Phoenix's biggest lead of the night was one point, and it came with 2.4 seconds left.

Copper Went Supernova

The fourth quarter belonged to Copper, who got to the rim whenever she wanted. Her layup off a Thomas feed made it 76-70 with 4:31 to go. She added a driving layup and a free throw, and Kara Dunn hit two from the line before Copper's reverse layup, again set up by Thomas, cut it to 79-77 at 2:23.

Then the trading started. Arike Ogunbowale hit a 15-foot step-back with 1:43 left, only her second field goal of the night, to make it 81-77. Thomas drove for a layup, and Copper tied it 81-81 with two free throws at the 49.6 mark.

That is when Bueckers delivered what looked like the dagger. Left open on the wing, she pulled up from 28 feet off an Awak Kuier pass and buried it for an 84-81 lead with 33.3 seconds left. Copper answered with two more free throws, Ogunbowale matched her with two of her own, and Natasha Mack's layup, assisted by Thomas, made it 86-85 with 15.7 seconds to go.

The Turning Point

Everything turned on one reversed whistle. A foul called against Phoenix with 13.3 seconds left was overturned, the possession went to a jump ball, and the Mercury came away with it. Thomas then found Copper cutting backdoor along the baseline for the go-ahead layup. Bueckers got one last look from deep at the buzzer, but the shot never touched the rim.

Two Stars, One Winner

Copper finished 10 of 17 from the field and 10 of 13 at the line, adding five rebounds and a plus-10 in 34 minutes. She did not commit a turnover. Thomas went 7 of 12 and assisted on four Phoenix baskets in the last five minutes alone, three of them by Copper. Mack added 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting, and Dunn gave the Mercury 11 off the bench by making 3 of 4 from deep.

Bueckers was brilliant in a losing effort. She made 12 of 22 shots and 4 of 5 from 3-point range, adding seven assists and five rebounds against one turnover. According to the AP, it was her fourth 30-point game of the season, and it gave her 853 points this year, a Dallas record for points in a season.

Jessica Shepard was a monster on the glass with 19 rebounds to go with 17 points and six assists, though she made only 7 of 12 free throws. Ogunbowale had a rough night at 2 of 8 shooting with five fouls. Kuier was quietly excellent, making both of her 3-pointers and blocking five shots, and Li Yueru posted a plus-14 in 11 minutes off the bench.

The margins that decided it were small ones. Phoenix committed only five turnovers all night, and Dallas scored just six points off them, which left the Wings without the cheap baskets that usually bury a rally. The Mercury bench was not exactly lighting it up either, with Sami Whitcomb going 2 of 9 and Marta Suarez missing all five of her shots, which makes the comeback even stranger in hindsight.

Stats That Matter

• 26 of 30: Phoenix at the free-throw line. Dallas went 14 of 21.
• 40-22: The Mercury's advantage in paint points.
• 42-32: Dallas won the rebounding battle, with Shepard grabbing 19 by herself.
• 10 of 23 vs. 5 of 21: Dallas' edge from 3-point range, which on most nights decides a game.
• 16: Copper's fourth-quarter points, per the AP.

What It Means

The loss ended a six-game winning streak for Dallas, and it was the first time the Wings had lost since Aug. 17, according to the AP. Our recount of the schedule matches: Dallas' previous loss was a 78-70 defeat at Golden State. The Wings are 26-17 overall and 10-11 on the road, and per the AP they remain tied for sixth place in the standings.

It was also a quick split of a two-game set. Dallas beat Phoenix 87-82 at home on Saturday and took the season series 2-1 after an 85-70 win back on June 11.

Phoenix improved to 16-27 and 7-14 at home. The Mercury close the regular season Thursday at home against Las Vegas, while Dallas heads to Seattle on Wednesday for its final regular-season game.

Closing Take

Dallas wrote a good script for nearly the whole night. Bueckers got the record, the dagger and the stat line, and Shepard did enough dirty work for two people. But this one had an M. Night Shyamalan ending, and the twist was obvious only in hindsight: you do not leave Kahleah Copper alone on the baseline with Alyssa Thomas holding the ball. The Wings learned that lesson the hard way, and with 2.4 seconds to spare.

Stats from the official box score via ESPN. Additional context as reported by the Associated Press.