Mercury hold off Washington Mystics and clinch home-court advantage

Kahleah Copper led scoring for the Mercury with 18 points, while Alyssa Thomas nearly had another triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Sami Whitcomb and Satou Sabally also had double-digit points, with Sabally hitting a crucial 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter to seal the win.

“I’ve been super proud of our composure at the end of games,” Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts said, according to the team’s post-game recording. “… For a group like us, this is our first year together, [so] we need these types of games. I think it builds confidence when you’re in these situations.”

With another close game win, Phoenix is now 17-7 in games decided by 10 or fewer points this season. The Mystics were only nine points down throughout the game at most, forcing the Mercury to battle on both sides of the ball and finishing off strong.

“We’re always trying to close quarters strong,” said Whitcomb, according to the team’s post-game recording. “I think that’s important for us. Sets the tone for, you know, the next quarter and what we’re trying to do.”

The win against Washington also guarantees Phoenix a top-four seed in the playoffs and home-court advantage. Despite that, the Mercury want to treat the remaining games competitively.

“It’s not gonna be easy, these last four games,” Copper said, according to the team’s post-game recording. “It doesn’t matter whether the team is in the playoffs or not; it’s gonna be tough. So, it’s not always gonna be pretty. The good teams, they gut out those wins and that’s what we did tonight. We stayed together and we gutted out that win.”

Phoenix will look to extend its winning streak and continue preparing for the playoffs, visiting the Connecticut Sun for its next matchup on Saturday, Sept. 6.