Ariel Atkins 15 points vs Mercury (Jul 22, 2026): 2nd-best of 24 games
15 PTS · 5-of-9 FG · 3-of-6 3P · 2-of-2 FT · 33:06 MIN
Usual before this game: 8.9 PTS · 9.0 FGA · 27.1 MIN, from 23 regular-season games
2nd-best Game Score of 24 games this season: 16.2 against a usual 5.6 (+10.6)
above usual
No more than 5 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far above the usual comes about once or twice a season.
How the score worksWhy did Ariel Atkins score 15 points?
Ariel Atkins scored 15 points against the Mercury on Jul 22, 2026 in 33:06: 5-of-9 from the field, 3-of-6 from three (50.0%), 2-of-2 on free throws. Coming in, Atkins had averaged 8.9 points on 9.0 shots in 27.1 minutes, from 23 regular-season games. By Game Score it was the 2nd-best of 24 games this season. By shot type: threes 9 points (usual 3.2). Atkins played 33:06 against a usual 27.1 minutes; per 36 minutes the Game Score was 17.6, against a usual 7.4. The Sparks lost 86-82 at home against the Mercury. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Atkins in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (23 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 33:06 | 27.1 | +6.0 |
| Points | 15 | 8.9 | +6.1 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 5-of-9 | 9.0 · 35.9% | 0.0 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 6 · 50.0% | 4.2 · 26.0% | +1.8 · +24.0 |
| FTA · FT% | 2-of-2 | 1.4 · 97.0% | +0.6 |
| Rebounds | 4 | 2.8 | +1.2 |
| Assists | 3 | 2.6 | +0.4 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1.8 | -0.8 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 23 games | 13.5 | 18.3 | -4.8 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 17.6 | 7.4 | +10.2 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (23 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 9 (3-of-6) | 3.2 (1.1-of-4.2) | +5.8 |
| Twos | 4 (2-of-3) | 4.3 (2.1-of-4.8) | -0.3 |
| Free throws | 2 (2-of-2) | 1.4 (1.4-of-1.4) | +0.6 |
| Total | 15 | 8.9 | +6.1 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
16.2 against a usual 5.6 (+10.6)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +6.8 |
| Rebounds | +1.3 |
| Assists | +0.3 |
| Steals and blocks | +0.5 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +1.7 |
| Total | +10.6 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
2nd-best Game Score of 24 games this season.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Sparks lost 86-82 at home against the Mercury.
- Previous appearance: Jul 19, 2026, 3 days earlier.
- Earlier regular-season meetings with the Mercury this season: 11 points (May 21, 2026), 6 points (Jun 13, 2026).
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from WNBA regular-season games of 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, checked on 2026.