Mercury top Sky; Diana Taurasi 14 points shy of WNBA's all-time scoring mark

Jun 17, 2017, 09:48 pm

PHOENIX -- Brittney Griner scored 27 points and Diana Taurasi had 15 to move closer to the WNBA scoring record after the Phoenix Mercury beat the Chicago Sky 86-78 on Friday night.

Heading into Sunday's game in Los Angeles, Taurasi is 14 shy of passing the 7,488 points set by Tina Thompson from 1997-2013. Phoenix's star was just 2 of 10 from the field and had nine points, all in the first half, until making six free throws in the final minute.

Jessica Breland's 3-pointer pulled Chicago within 80-75 with just under a minute to play. On the ensuing possession, Cappie Pondexter fouled Taurasi on a shot and then was ejected after picking up two technical fouls. Taurasi made four free throws and, after Kahleah Copper's three-point play with 32 seconds left, added two more to close out the scoring.

Phoenix (6-4) ended the second quarter with an 11-4 run to lead 45-32 at the half. It could have been a larger margin, but the Mercury made just 12 of 21 free throws. They finished 28 of 39 from the line.

Allie Quigley led Chicago (2-8) with 19 points, Breland had 18 and Pondexter 13. The Sky was 15 of 21 from the line.

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This story has been corrected to show the Mercury made 12 of 21 free throws in the second quarter.