{"id":709061,"date":"2026-06-17T07:11:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T07:11:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/709061\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T07:11:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T07:11:11","slug":"aces-chase-commissioners-cup-final-berth-as-mercury-try-to-stop-slide-field-level-media-professional-sports-content-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/709061\/","title":{"rendered":"Aces chase Commissioner’s Cup final berth as Mercury try to stop slide – Field Level Media – Professional sports content solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

The second meeting this season between the 2025 WNBA finalists will look very different this time.<\/p>\n

The Phoenix Mercury started the season with what looked like a statement victory over the Aces, a convincing 99-66 win in the regular-season opener on May 9 in Las Vegas. However, the teams have been heading in different directions as they prepare for a Commissioner\u2019s Cup game in Phoenix on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The Aces (10-4, 5-1 Commissioner\u2019s Cup) and evergreen MVP candidate A\u2019ja Wilson had won six in a row before suffering a 96-66 loss at Dallas on Monday. Even so, Las Vegas is tied with the Minnesota Lynx for first place in the Western Conference\u2019s standings for the Commissioner\u2019s Cup.<\/p>\n

The defending league champion Aces own the tiebreaker over the Lynx and would advance to meet the Eastern Conference representative, the New York Liberty, in the Commissioner\u2019s Cup title game with a win over the Mercury.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we don\u2019t get better on the defensive end, the \u2018L\u2019s\u2019 are just going to start racking up point blank. Period,\u201d Wilson said after the loss to the Wings. \u201cSometimes I hate that wins kind of give us a false reality that we\u2019re doing things well when we aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to turning the page, you got to do it, but you really have to do it on the defensive end. We\u2019ll go back, look through some things, obviously go to Phoenix, but it really doesn\u2019t matter who we\u2019re playing against. It\u2019s got to be our defense.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Mercury have lost nine of 11, including an excruciating 111-102 overtime defeat to the Los Angeles Sparks the last time out Saturday that dropped them to 4-11 overall and 2-4 in Commissioner\u2019s Cup play.<\/p>\n

Mercury guard Kahleah Copper had a career-high 41 points and 10 rebounds against the Sparks, but Kelsey Plum notched a career-high 43 points and made a layup with 1.6 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.<\/p>\n

The Mercury overcame a nine-point deficit in the fourth but ran out of gas in the extra session, when the Sparks scored the first eight points.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen things are going your way, they\u2019re going your way,\u201d Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts said. \u201cBut when you\u2019re kind of running into the wall, it feels like you just kind of keep running into the wall, and that\u2019s where we are at as far as winning and losing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Copper helped jump-start a Mercury offense that moved to a tie for 10th in the 15-team league in scoring (82.2 ppg) but still ranks 11th in field-goal percentage (42.2%) and 12th in 3-point percentage (32%).<\/p>\n

\u201cKah needed one of these nights,\u201d Tibbetts said. \u201cShe puts a lot of pressure on herself \u2014 obviously, all the veterans do. This is not the start that we wanted \u2026 We need her to play free with the mentality to help others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Copper scored 15 points in the fourth quarter and overtime against Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been overthinking the past few games,\u201d Copper said. \u201cI just want to win, hoop, and make the right plays. Hit shots, take the easy ones, and not overdo it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013Field Level Media<\/p>\n

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