Copper Steals It From Dallas as Atlanta Strengthens Its Playoff Position

Dallas had this one in its hands. The Wings led Phoenix by 11 early in the fourth and still had a three-point advantage after Paige Bueckers buried a deep three with 33 seconds left, but the finish unraveled from there. Natasha Mack slipped free for a layup, a foul initially called on Alyssa Thomas against Arike Ogunbowale was overturned to a jump ball, and Kahleah Copper finished the comeback with a reverse layup with two seconds remaining. Dallas could produce only a difficult Bueckers three at the horn, and it fell short in an 87-86 loss that snapped the Wings’ six-game winning streak. Copper scored 16 of her 31 in the fourth, while Thomas finished with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists. Bueckers had 30 points and seven assists, and her late three pushed her to 850 points for the season, a new Wings franchise record.

Atlanta and New York had plenty at stake themselves, and the Dream made their move after a 41-38 first half. Allisha Gray went scoreless before halftime but scored 12 in the third quarter, while Rhyne Howard added 10 as Atlanta turned a three-point game into a 73-62 advantage entering the fourth. New York never got closer than eight from there, and the Dream finished off a 95-84 road win behind Jordin Canada’s 19 points and nine assists, Angel Reese’s 18 points and 10 rebounds, DeWanna Bonner’s 17 and Howard’s 16. Howard also became the youngest player in WNBA history to reach 500 career three-pointers. Atlanta improved to 29-14 and moved within one win of securing first-round home court, while New York fell to 26-17 and eighth place after beginning the night level in the win column with Washington and Dallas. Breanna Stewart had 27 points and 14 rebounds for the Liberty, but the loss eliminated their chance to host a first-round series.