The Chicago Sky toppled the Phoenix Mercury, 86-50, in front of a sold-out crowd in the Windy City in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals to move within one win of the franchise’s first title. Chicago got an ultra-efficient 22 points from Kahleah Copper while holding Phoenix to sub-30 percent shooting to take a 2-1 series lead in a blowout.
It was the biggest Finals win in the history of the WNBA.
The first half was dominated by Chicago’s defense and Finals MVP front-runner Copper, the jitterbug wing who has been the Sky’s leading scorer in this series. Copper was relentless getting open, either streaking to the basket or for easy threes. After not taking a three in Game 2, Copper was aggressive from the jump on Friday night. The sixth-year guard, who made her first All-Star team this season, scored 20 points on 6-for-8 shooting in the first half alone.
Kahleah Copper at the half: 20 PTS
The entire Mercury team: 24 PTS
Unconscious. pic.twitter.com/f60t61vGCU
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 16, 2021
Not only was Copper great on her own, but she was a beneficiary of the Sky’s tremendous defense. Phoenix scored just 24 points in the first half, shooting 23.5 percent from the field. The Mercury also turned the ball over 10 times and only got to the free-throw line four times.
Chicago squelched out everything the Mercury tried, and were ruthless turning those mistakes into easy buckets on the other end.
Kahleah Copper. LOCKED IN 🔒
Sky with their largest lead of the night
(via @WNBA)pic.twitter.com/ehP4VWwtGG
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 16, 2021
The result wasn’t much better to open the second half, though Phoenix was able to get into the bonus at the 6:57 mark of the third quarter. Still, the Sky built the lead to a whopping 24 midway through the period, totaling their biggest lead of the series.
With the Mercury on the ropes, Candace Parker stepped up yet again, covering a ton of ground on defense and playing aggressively on offense at all three levels and as a play-maker. Everything went right for Chicago, to the point they were probably wishing they had just executed a bit better on Wednesday and could be closing out the series in Game 3.
Early in the fourth quarter, the backups checked in, as both teams put in their second squads and awaited the final buzzer. When it sounded, the Sky looked up to a final score that gave them a 45-point lead through three games in the series, as sure a sign as any that they have been the better team in these Finals and may wrap up a championship at home on Sunday afternoon.
