Kahleah Copper rediscovers her rhythm, but the Phoenix Mercury is still searching for wins

PHOENIX – For the first time in weeks, Kahleah Copper found her rhythm, putting together a performance that felt like a long awaited breakthrough. 

Despite a historic night from the guard, the Phoenix Mercury were left with another frustrating loss Saturday. Copper erupted for a career-high 41 points and delivered one of the most complete performances in WNBA history, but the Mercury fell 111-102 to the Los Angeles Sparks in overtime, leaving the team still searching for answers in close games. 

It was the Mercury’s ninth loss in 11 games. 

Copper became just the third player in WNBA history to finish with at least 40 points, 10 rebounds and five made 3-pointers in a game. Yet even with Copper breaking out of her recent shooting slump, the Mercury could not turn her performance into a win. Phoenix again struggled to get key stops late, an issue coach Nate Tibbetts said continues to separate competitive performances from victories.

“Defensively, we had some slips,” Tibbetts said. “We can’t allow them to walk into some shots. … We need to do a better job of just building a wall and showing bodies.”

The loss underscored a familiar issue for Phoenix: encouraging individual performances that have yet to translate into consistent wins. While Copper appears to be breaking out of her recent shooting slump, the Mercury continue to search for the execution needed to finish games against high-powered offenses.

Her breakout night was less about forcing production and more about trusting the flow of the offense, Copper said.

“I was really just put in a position,” Copper said. “Some of the things Nate drew up, and then just seeing the floor and our spacing. We were all in our spots, so I just tried to make good plays.”

After struggling through recent games, Copper said the mental shift was just as important as the stat line. Before Saturday, she shot 30% or worst in four of her last five games.

“I’ve been overthinking in the past however many games,” she said. “I’m past that. I just want to win, whatever it takes – making the right play, hitting shots.”

Her performance drew praise from teammate Natasha Mack, who said Copper’s work ethic made the breakout inevitable.

“I’m very proud of her,” Mack said. “I see the work she puts in daily, so this was bound to come. When she’s going, it’s great for us.”

Mack also highlighted the team’s effort despite another close loss, pointing to the collective mindset Phoenix is trying to build late in the season.

“We had that tonight,” Mack said of the team’s fight. “One game at a time and make the playoffs.”

Still, the Mercury’s inability to consistently get stops late proved costly, with Tibbetts stressing that defensive execution remains the difference in games that slip away.

“A lot of these games we’ve been in, and then they’ve kind of gotten away from us,” Copper said. “But just keeping our fight. I think we had that tonight.”

For Phoenix, Copper’s historic night offered a positive step forward offensively and a sign she may be fully breaking out of her slump. If the Mercury can pair that level of production with sharper late-game defense, those close losses could start turning into wins down the stretch.

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