The Phoenix Mercury absolutely crushed the Dallas Wings’ playoff hopes Monday night, snagging an 87-86 victory at Mortgage Matchup Center. Kahleah Copper, who led all scorers with 31 points, nailed a last-second reverse layup to seal the win, leaving Dallas absolutely speechless.
Early Wings Flurry Goes Cold
The Wings started hot, though, with Paige Bueckers and Awak Kuier draining shots from deep. Bueckers hit a fallaway and a three-pointer to get Dallas up 10-7 early. Kuier followed up with her second three, extending the lead to 13-8 just 4:22 in, and even swatted two shots in the game’s first five minutes. Alyssa Thomas kept Phoenix alive, spinning away from Bueckers for a bucket that cut the Wings’ lead to 17-13. By the end of the first, Dallas was up 26-19. Bueckers had nine points and four assists, and the team hadn’t turned the ball over once, a big deal for a squad that averages just 12.1 turnovers a game.
Controversy and a Crushing Finish
Dallas pushed the lead even further in the second, with Aziaha James hitting jumpers and Maddy Siegrist adding a three-pointer to make it 35-21. But Copper, questionable with an illness pre-game, sparked an 8-2 Mercury run, cutting the lead to 37-29. Even after a timeout and a Bueckers jumper to regain a 10-point cushion, Phoenix kept chipping away. Then came the gut punch: with 15 seconds left, officials overturned a foul call against Alyssa Thomas on Arike Ogunbowale, changing it to a jump ball. Thomas seemed to reach in and grab Ogunbowale on that play, but the call stood. That gave Copper her chance, and she took it, hitting the game-winner. Bueckers had one last shot, a turnaround jumper at the buzzer, but it air-mailed, confirming the Mercury’s dramatic comeback.
This one’s gotta sting for Dallas, especially with their playoff positioning on the line. Getting burned by a controversial call and a last-second shot after holding such a strong lead? Ouch. For Phoenix, though, this 87-86 win is huge for their 16-26 record. What a wild finish to a pivotal game!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mavs Moneyball.
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