ATLANTA (AP) Diana Taurasi and DeWanna Bonner had 20 points a piece, and
combined to score the Mercury’s final 20 points, as Phoenix beat the Atlanta
Dream 78-71 on Sunday.
Bonner added seven rebounds, six assists and two steals while Taurasi finished
with eight assists. Brittney Griner had 17 points, seven rebounds and three
blocks for the Mercury (4-3).
Brittney Sykes made a layup to trim Atlanta’s deficit to 58-57 early in the
fourth quarter, but Taurasi scored 12 points from there as she and Bonner
combined to make 12 of 12 free throws over the final six-plus minutes to hold
off the Dream (2-3).
Taurasi hit Bonner for a 3-pointer to open the scoring and Phoenix never
trailed. Bonner hit a jumper to make it 50-36, and match the Mercury’s biggest
lead of the game, with seven minutes left in the third quarter. Five different
Atlanta players scored during a 17-4 run over the next six minutes that pulled
the Dream within one.
Angel McCoughtry, who sat out last season to rest, had 21 points and 10 rebounds
– both season highs – for Atlanta.
