LAS VEGAS — Phoenix’s Kahleah Copper became just the second player in WNBA history to have back-to-back games of 35-plus points as the Mercury handed two-time defending champion Las Vegas a rare home loss.
The Mercury won 98-88 Tuesday at Michelob Ultra Arena, where the Aces lost just twice last year. The first was Aug. 15 in the Commissioner’s Cup final to the New York Liberty, followed by a regular-season defeat Aug. 19 to the Los Angeles Sparks. Still, the Aces went on to win their second straight WNBA championship.
Both teams Tuesday were without key players who have yet to play this season due to injuries: Las Vegas point guard Chelsea Gray (foot) and Phoenix center Brittney Griner (toe).
Copper ended up the star of the show.
She had 37 points against the Aces, making 15 of 23 shots from the field, to follow up her career-best 38-point performance in a win over Atlanta on Saturday.
Copper joined Liz Cambage as the only WNBA players to score 35-plus in back-to-back WNBA games. Cambage did so for Dallas in 2018, when she had…
