Kahleah Copper 38 points vs Dream (Aug 22, 2026): season-best Game Score
38 PTS · 13-of-21 FG · 3-of-7 3P · 9-of-12 FT · 37:06 MIN
Usual before this game: 20.5 PTS · 15.8 FGA · 32.9 MIN, from 35 regular-season games
Best Game Score of 36 games this season: 27.9 against a usual 11.5 (+16.4)
above usual
No more than 2 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 a season or less.
How the score worksWhy did Kahleah Copper score 38 points?
Kahleah Copper scored 38 points against the Dream on Aug 22, 2026 in 37:06: 13-of-21 from the field (61.9%), 3-of-7 from three (42.9%), 9-of-12 on free throws (75.0%). Coming in, Copper had averaged 20.5 points on 15.8 shots in 32.9 minutes, from 35 regular-season games. By Game Score it was the best of 36 games this season. The shot count was 21, against a usual 15.8. Copper shot 61.9% from the field, against a usual 43.3%. From two-pointers, 20 points against a usual 10.2; from free throws, 9 points against a usual 5.1; from threes, 9 points against a usual 5.2. Copper played 37:06 against a usual 32.9 minutes; per 36 minutes the Game Score was 27.1, against a usual 12.6. The Mercury lost 99-89 at home against the Dream. 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
Copper in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (35 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 37:06 | 32.9 | +4.2 |
| Points | 38 | 20.5 | +17.5 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 21 · 61.9% | 15.8 · 43.3% | +5.2 · +18.6 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 7 · 42.9% | 5.8 · 29.4% | +1.2 · +13.5 |
| FTA · FT% | 12 · 75.0% | 6.5 · 78.9% | +5.5 · -3.9 |
| Rebounds | 1 | 3.6 | -2.6 |
| Assists | 1 | 1.9 | -0.9 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2.5 | -1.5 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 35 games | 33.1 | 29.0 | +4.1 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 27.1 | 12.6 | +14.5 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (35 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 9 (3-of-7) | 5.2 (1.7-of-5.8) | +3.8 |
| Twos | 20 (10-of-14) | 10.2 (5.1-of-10.0) | +9.8 |
| Free throws | 9 (9-of-12) | 5.1 (5.1-of-6.5) | +3.9 |
| Total | 38 | 20.5 | +17.5 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
27.9 against a usual 11.5 (+16.4)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +15.6 |
| Rebounds | -0.6 |
| Assists | -0.6 |
| Steals and blocks | +0.2 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +1.8 |
| Total | +16.4 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
Best Game Score of 36 games this season.
Previous best: 24.4, set on Jun 24, 2026.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Mercury lost 99-89 at home against the Dream.
- Previous appearance: Aug 16, 2026, 6 days earlier.
- Earlier regular-season meetings with the Dream this season: 20 points (May 24, 2026), 14 points (Aug 5, 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.