The Phoenix Mercury have struggled defensively all season, particularly over the last four games.

But with the WNBA's top two scorers on their side, they're winning anyway.

Despite their defensive deficiencies, the defending champion Mercury will look for their fourth victory in five games on Thursday when they continue a five-game road trip with a matchup against the Chicago Sky.

Phoenix (5-7) hasn't seen the defense of its first WNBA title go so well through the first third of the 2008 season, and that's been mostly due to its inability to stop opponents from scoring.

The Mercury are allowing a league-high 90.5 points per game, including 95.3 over their past four games. Yet Phoenix has won three of four thanks to its high-scoring offense.

After averaging 106.0 points in home wins over Connecticut and Chicago (3-8), the Mercury began their five-game road swing in disastrous fashion, losing 105-72 in New York on Sunday - the team's worst loss in nearly six years.

But the Mercury rebounded on Tuesday, getting 31 points from Diana Taurasi - who leads the league with 25.4 points per game - and 28 from Cappie Pondexter (25.1 ppg) in a 98-90 win at Washington.

Phoenix is averaging 96.0 points over its last four games.

"We are a scoring team and our defense is fueled off our scoring," coach Corey Gaines said after his team scored 58 second-half points against the Mystics. "So if we don't score for some reason the defense fails."

Phoenix didn't have any problems scoring in its first game against Chicago. Trailing by four after three quarters on Friday, the Mercury put up 34 fourth-quarter points to force overtime, then won 112-105, tying the franchise record for points in a game.

Taurasi had 33 and Pondexter 31 in that win, making them the first duo to each top 30 points in the same game twice.

"People laugh when I say this, but when I'm on the floor I have to remind myself not to just watch them," center Barb Farris said after the Mercury improved to 5-0 all-time versus the Sky.

Chicago has lost four straight, including all three games on its Western Conference road trip.

The Sky fell behind by 12 points early in the second quarter on Sunday in Sacramento, and though they cut the lead to four with under two minutes left, wound up losing 82-70.

"This is a repeating theme for us, getting behind, having to come back, but then running out of energy and not having enough to win the game," coach Steve Key said.

Chicago is still missing No. 2 overall draft pick Sylvia Fowles (10.8 ppg), who's out three more weeks with a sprained left knee, but they're getting strong efforts from guard Jia Perkins and forward Candice Dupree.

Perkins is averaging 17.0 points and Dupree 16.5 per game. Perkins scored 30 on Friday against the Mercury, while Dupree chipped in 28 - season highs for both players.