Kahleah Copper Urges Phoenix Mercury To Move On From Aces Defeat Ahead Of Playoffs

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Kahleah Copper believes the Phoenix Mercury should not dwell on their recent defeat to the Las Vegas Aces. Despite losing 86-83 at Footprint Center, they remain fourth in the standings as the WNBA playoffs approach. Copper encourages her teammates to focus on their upcoming game against the Seattle Storm on Sunday.

In the closing moments of the game, Chelsea Gray secured a three-point lead for the Aces by making two free throws. She then blocked Satou Sabally's attempt to tie the game with just eight seconds left. Copper emphasised that learning from this experience is crucial for future success.

"If you imagine this game as a series, it's something to learn from," she said. "We understand what we have to do, but we just have to be able to make adjustments a little bit quicker. It's a little bit bigger than just this game."

Copper stressed the importance of having a short-term memory regarding losses. She believes that dwelling on setbacks won't help them build momentum heading into the playoffs. The team needs to focus on improving and moving forward.

Head coach Nate Tibbetts highlighted some positives despite the loss. At one point, his team was trailing by 10 points, but they managed to close the gap significantly. "[Las Vegas] had all the momentum," he said.

Tibbetts noted that substitutions made during the game brought in players who competed fiercely. He sees this experience as valuable preparation for playoff scenarios where resilience is key.

The coach acknowledged that while winning is important, experiencing such challenging games is essential for growth. He believes these experiences will shape how they perform in future high-stakes matches.