Perhaps even Kahleah Copper herself didn’t see this coming. After a disappointing first-round exit last year and returning as the only starter from that team, few expected the Phoenix Mercury to make much of an impact. Yet here they are, defying the odds, having toppled both the Liberty and the Lynx, and now standing in the WNBA Finals. But as has been the story of their playoff run, the Mercury find themselves in the role of the chaser, needing a comeback to turn the series in their favor. And as the team prepares for Game 2, the 2021 WNBA Finals MVP has a message for the Las Vegas Aces.

In a week when headlines off the court threatened to overshadow the action, the Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury reminded everyone where the focus should be–on basketball. Nine ties and 12 lead changes, including three in the fourth quarter alone, set the stage for a thrilling opener to the league’s first-ever seven-game Finals series. In the end, A’ja Wilson and co completed a comeback from nine points down to secure an 89-86 victory.

When asked about the game, Kahleah Copper kept it straightforward: “It wasn’t super fun for me if I didn’t win.. so it was cool. On a scale of one to ten, maybe it was like a six. But it was fun—I think the environment was amazing. Two great teams really competing and getting after it, that was fun for me. It just felt like we were out there hooping, two teams battling, nothing extra. The fans were amazing; we had our little section, they had theirs going, so super fun.”

The Mercury may have fallen short, but Kahleah Copper shone. She finished with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and added 4 rebounds. So impactful was her presence that the final play was drawn up to get her open for a three-pointer. But Aces’ Kiah Stokes was ready, switching onto Copper as soon as the screen was called. The defensive switch threw the Mercury off balance, leading to a hurried three-point shot by Satou Sabally that missed, handing the Aces the victory.

The Aces needed a fourth-quarter surge to overcome a Phoenix team that had largely controlled the contest. In the fourth quarter, Las Vegas’ playoffs experience showed, limiting the Mercury to just 15 points on 33.3 percent shooting. This marked the third time this season the Aces had edged Phoenix by exactly three points, building on regular-season wins of 84-81 and 86-83, highlighting their clutch-time dominance over the Mercury.

The WNBA’s first-ever seven-game Finals series is far from over, and Kahleah Copper knows exactly why the Mercury fell short in Game 1.

Kahleah Copper reveals the reason behind the loss

It was a bitter pill for the Mercury to swallow. They led by nine at one point and had a late chance to take the win, only for Alyssa Thomas to miss crucial free throws. Still, Kahleah Copper pinpointed the reasons for the loss and is determined to correct them in Game 2.

“It’s a game of runs,” Copper said in the post-game press conference. “I think we did a pretty good job understanding and handling the runs. I think just down the stretch, they made the plays. They made the plays; we didn’t.” The Aces’ switch to a 2-3 zone defense in the second half was pivotal. By clogging the gaps in the middle, they limited Alyssa Thomas’ ability to dictate the tempo. Ultimately, the game came down to Las Vegas’ speed versus Phoenix’s length—and the Aces leveraged their pace and skill to neutralize the Mercury’s defensive advantage.

It will be interesting to see if the Mercury can fix the issues that plagued them in the second half. Knowing Nate Tibbetts, he’ll surely devise adjustments like he has all season. But will the Aces’ playoff experience give them the edge? That remains to be seen. What do you think will take the series? Share your thoughts in the comments below!