Pro Sports

Diggins-Smith outshines Bird, Taurasi; Mercury beats Storm

Posted July 23, 2022 7:00 am

The Associated Press

FILE - Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) talks with Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird (10) during the second half of a single-game WNBA basketball playoff matchup, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017, in Tempe, Ariz. Seattle's Sue Bird and Mercury star Diana Taurasi share the court perhaps for the last time in a WNBA clash in Phoenix, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt York) The Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) - Skylar Diggins-Smith scored a career-high 35 points, Diana Taurasi hit 6 of 10 from 3-point range and finished with 28 points and the Phoenix Mercury used a dominant fourth quarter to beat the Seattle Storm 94-78 Friday night.

Sophie Cunningham hit five 3-pointers - her 10th consecutive game with at least two made 3s - and scored 19 points for Phoenix. The Mercury made a season-high 14 3s.

The Mercury went into the fourth quarter trailing 65-60 but Taurasi hit a 3 to open the period and her three-point play with 7:35 to play gave Phoenix a one-point lead. Tina Charles scored to give Seattle a 69-68 lead 25 seconds later but Diggins-Smith hit a jumper with 6:55 left that sparked a 17-0 run.

The game was 46th, and potentially the last, meeting between Taurasi and Seattle's Sue Bird, the WNBA's all-time leaders in points and assists, respectively and gave Taurasi 500 career games, second-most in league history - behind Bird.

Bird - who has announced that she'll retire at the end of the season - and Taurasi (who will become a free agent) played together at UConn before being picked No. 1 overall in the 2002 (Bird) and 2004 (Taurasi) drafts, won seven combined WNBA titles and won five Olympic gold medals together.

Phoenix (12-16) swept the three-game regular-season series with the Storm 3-0 and, with 10 regular season games remaining, moved into a virtual tie with Dallas for the eighth and final playoff spot.

The Mercury set a regular-season record Friday with a reported attendance of 14,162.

Breanna Stewart lead Seattle (17-10) with 22 points and 14 rebounds but did most of her damage in the first half. Jewell Loyd added 15 points and Tina Charles added 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Taurasi has hit at least six 3-pointers in a single game 12 times since turning age 35, a WNBA record.

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More AP women's basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

FILE - Former University of Connecticut and current WNBA players Sue Bird, left, and Diana Taurasi, right, share a laugh as they are introduced at UConn's First Night program in Storrs, Conn., Friday, Oct. 13, 2006. Seattle's Sue Bird and Mercury star Diana Taurasi share the court perhaps for the last time in a WNBA clash in Phoenix, Friday, July 22, 2022.(AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File) The Associated Press

FILE - USA's Sue Bird, left, and Diana Taurasi, right, cheer from the bench near the end of their 66-62 victory against Russia in the women's basketball semi final at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, Friday, Aug. 27, 2004. WNBA Seattle's Sue Bird and WNBA Mercury star Diana Taurasi share the court perhaps for the last time in a WNBA clash in Phoenix, Friday, July 22, 2022.(AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File) The Associated Press

FILE - Connecticut's Sue Bird (10) and Diana Taurasi (3) celebrate their 82-64 win over Penn State in the NCAA Mideast Regional semifinals in Milwaukee, Saturday, March 23, 2002. WNBA Seattle's Sue Bird and WNBA Mercury star Diana Taurasi share the court perhaps for the last time in a WNBA clash in Phoenix, Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File) The Associated Press

FILE - Phoenix Mercury's Diana Taurasi, left, talks with Seattle Storm's Sue Bird after the Mercury defeated the Storm in the second round of the WNBA basketball playoffs Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, in Everett, Wash. Seattle's Sue Bird and Mercury star Diana Taurasi share the court perhaps for the last time in a WNBA clash in Phoenix, Friday, July 22, 2022.(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File) The Associated Press

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