PHOENIX — Satou Sabally was out with a concussion, and Alyssa Thomas was basically playing with one arm in the second half.
Even so, the feisty Phoenix Mercury had one more run left in these WNBA Finals.
Kahleah Copper helped whittle the home team’s 14-point deficit down to six in the fourth quarter before the second-seeded Las Vegas Aces turned back the rally, but the fourth-seeded Mercury felt they had nothing to be ashamed of even though they lost 97-86 on Friday in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals, getting swept in the first title series to use a best-of-seven format.
“I’m super proud of the group,” Copper said. “We’ve battled everything all year, from the start until now, being without Satou. After the game, I wanted us to feel it, hear the celebrations, feel that moment and feel the hurt. Let it fuel us for the future.
“But I’m proud of how we responded to adversity all year. I wouldn’t want to do it with any other group.”