Mercury Fall to Aces 86-76 Despite Strong Effort

By Johanna Luna & Marlon Hobbs

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Mercury faced their WNBA Finals rivals, the Las Vegas Aces, on Wednesday night at Mortgage Matchup Center, but a strong fourth-quarter performance by Las Vegas proved too much to overcome as Phoenix fell short down the stretch.

The Mercury opened the game with energy and intensity, looking to build on their 99-66 victory over the Aces in the season opener in Las Vegas. Wednesday’s contest remained competitive throughout, with neither team able to create significant separation until the final minutes.

Kahleah Copper provided an early spark for Phoenix, knocking down a series of 3-pointers to keep the Mercury on pace through the first half. Copper finished with a team-high 26 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Las Vegas relied heavily on its star trio of NaLyssa Smith, A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young, who combined for 74 of the Aces’ 86 points. Their offensive production, coupled with Phoenix’s turnover struggles, proved to be the difference.

Wilson led the way for Las Vegas with a dominant performance, recording 33 points, 11 rebounds, five steals and three assists.

The Aces’ defensive pressure disrupted the Mercury throughout the night, forcing costly turnovers and converting them into scoring opportunities. Following the game, Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts pointed to ball security as a key factor in the loss.

“We were careless,” Tibbetts said when discussing the team’s turnovers and the opportunities they created for Las Vegas.

Despite the defeat, Phoenix received a strong contribution from its bench, which outscored the Aces’ reserves 37-7. However, the advantage was not enough to offset Las Vegas’ efficiency on both ends of the floor.

The Mercury also enjoyed strong support from the home crowd, with 9,234 fans in attendance.

With the loss, Phoenix moved to 4-12 on the season and remained seventh in the Western Conference standings. Las Vegas improved to 11-4 and held second place in the conference.

Next game: Saturday, June 20th vs. Seattle Storm at 12pm at Mortgage Matchup Center. ♦︎