3 days Ago By Alec Cipollini, Burn City Sports
Brittney Griner recorded a double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds, Diana Taurasi made history in her 25-point performance and the Phoenix Mercury snapped a three-game losing streak with a 93-88 win over the Chicago Sky on Sunday. Natasha Cloud chipped in with 18 points and 11 assists to also have a double-double for Phoenix (18-20). The Mercury had lost five of its last six games before the trip to Chicago and mathematically secured the No.
7 seed in the WNBA. Chennedy Carter led the shorthanded Sky (13-26) in scoring with 20 points, former Mercury Michaela Onyenwere posted 18 and Rachel Banham finished with 17. Dana Evans and Isabelle Harrison both came off of the bench and got double-digit points, with Evans notching 13 and Harrison at 10.
Mercury earn hard-fought win to snap skid After leaving a lasting impact in Chicago when she was on the Sky for seven seasons (2017-23), Kahleah Copper came back to the “Windy City” for the second time since being traded in the offseason but was sidelined with a back injury. Copper guided the Sky to its first-ever WNBA championship in franchise history and was the Finals MVP when Chicago beat the Mercury in 2021. “In this league, it is so competitive and so tough.
There’s a lot of ups and downs and a lot of times the healthiest team usually has the best chance of winning this thing,” Taurasi said. “We are trying to get healthy and get Kah back on the court, she’s been part of what we do.” While the Mercury were missing arguably their best player, Chicago’s roster was even more decimated by injuries.
Rookie phenom Angel Reese suffered a season-ending wrist injury recently, Elizabeth Williams tore her meniscus in early June and Diamond DeShields is dealing with an ankle injury. Kamilla Cardoso, who was listed as questionable with a shoulder injury, was active and started but played just nine minutes due to her sitting out the second half for precautionary reasons. Recognized as one of the best 3-point shooters in the league, Banham was electric to start the game.
She scored 12 points from 4-for-5 (80%) shooting behind the arch and was the main driver of why the Sky led 24-22 in the first quarter. Fresh off of her signing a one-year contract extension, Sophie Cunningham didn’t let that distract her as she added 13 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. The first half was a perfect match for a basketball fan who loves high-octane offense and little to no defense.
The two teams combined for 66 points with 33 per side, the Sky was 10-of-14 from three in the first two quarters and both Griner and Banham had 15 points each at the half. “In the first half, we didn’t do a very good job and there was not a lot of sense of urgency,” Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts said on the team’s defense. “Once they started getting comfortable, they just started knocking them down.
We didn’t want to leave Banham [open], we lost her a couple times and we’ve been through that already seeing her make shots.” With every game from here on out being a must-win for the Sky, they went head-to-head with the Mercury in a close battle. The Sky, Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics all have 13 wins for the eighth and final playoff spot.
“As a player, it is one of those games you like to play in and as coaches, they want to see more defense,” Taurasi said. “Chicago is tough, tough building, tough crowd to play against. Obviously we have had many battles here.
A lot of heart on that team. Diamond out, Angel out, Cardoso didn’t play in the second half but for them to step up and compete the way they did, they are just as tough. They are small and scrappy.
.. Every team is tough and they have an opportunity to make the playoffs, that’s what you want at the end of the day.
You want an opportunity and they have that.” But just when Chicago thought Phoenix was right where they wanted to have them up 64-59, the Mercury went on a 10-0 run and took the lead 77-76 in the third quarter thanks to Taurasi making history once again in her decorated career. Collecting 21 points through three frames, she recorded her 24th game with 20-plus points at 40-plus years old, which is quadrupled the combined total that the rest of the WNBA has ever had, six.
It was also her fourth at 42-plus years old, the only WNBA or NBA player to have as many, with former Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem and Toronto Raptors legend Vince Carter having one each before they retired. The Sky regained the lead in the fourth quarter before Phoenix punched back and secured the victory in the end. The Mercury outscored Chicago 44-30 in the paint and limited the Sky to 27 points in the second half.
“I thought throughout the game offensively we looked as comfortable as we looked in a while. I was disappointed in the defense in the first half,” Tibbetts said. “But to hold them [Chicago] to 27 points in the second half was what we needed to get the win.
We really stepped up, I do think it is a step in the right direction.” Next Games Mercury: Away at Los Angeles Sparks (7-31) | Sept. 17 | 7:30 p.
m. PT Sky: Away at Atlanta Dream (13-25) | Sept. 17 | 4:30 p.
m. PT This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission..
