Copper and Courtney Vandersloot finished with double-doubles. Copper had a game-high 21 points to go with her 10 rebounds. Vandersloot added 12 points and 11 assists and Candace Parker finished with 16 points and eight rebounds.
Home court is never more of an advantage than it is in the Finals, or that’s the assumption.
The No. 6 Sky could not have given that assumption less thought when they showed up for Game 1 of the 2021 WNBA Finals.
They walked into Footprint Center and torched the No. 5 Mercury in the first game of the best-of-five series. Their 91-77 Game 1 win brings them one step closer to the team’s first-ever WNBA title.
After looking a bit unsettled in the first quarter, the Sky established their pace and closed out the first half with an 11 point lead on a 17-2 run. They extended that lead to 15 to open the third quarter and did not let up.
Kahleah Copper got to the rim as only she can and the Mercury had no answer for her. Not even Brittney Griner could stop Copper from getting to the basket.
Copper and Courtney Vandersloot finished with double-doubles. Copper had a game-high 21 points to go with her 10 rebounds. Vandersloot added 12 points and 11 assists and Candace Parker finished with 16 points and eight rebounds.
Three other Sky players scored in double figures, including Allie Quigley who had 18.
They outscored the Mercury 48-32 in the paint Sunday afternoon. Azurá Stevens and Stefanie Dolson who came off the bench held Griner to eight points in the first half. She ended up finishing the night with 20 points, six rebounds and three assists.
With four minutes left in the Mercury coach, Sandy Brondello subbed her starters out.
The Sky and Mercury return to Footprint Center for Game 2 on Wednesday at 8 p.m.
from Chicago Sun-Times - All https://ift.tt/3lrFLvZ
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