Los Angeles Sparks vs Phoenix Mercury Final Score & Over/Under Result — May 21, 2026

The 178.5 market total looked vulnerable from the opening tip. Phoenix and Los Angeles combined for 49 points in the first quarter—a pace that suggested the under had early merit—but the Sparks exploded in the second, outscoring the Mercury 35–19 to spark a 54-point combined quarter that blew past the opener's tempo. At halftime, the combined total sat at 103, putting the full-game line firmly in play despite a sluggish Q4 outlook.

Los Angeles held on through a grind-it-out second half. Dearica Hamby was the catalyst, dropping 27 points and grabbing 15 rebounds alongside 3 assists, while Kelsey Plum orchestrated the offense with 16 points and 7 assists. Phoenix countered with Alyssa Thomas's all-around 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, and Kahleah Copper's 22 points, but the Mercury managed only 45 combined points after halftime—a stark cooling from that torrid Q2 run. The final margin of 9 points reflected Los Angeles' control in a game that finished at 185, sailing 6.5 points over the closing number. DAGGER's pregame under call missed, but a live adjustment during the second quarter paid off as the second-half deceleration materialized exactly as the model had recalibrated it.