Having the top two scorers in the WNBA hasn't been enough to pull the Phoenix Mercury out of last place in the Western Conference.

Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter will try to help the Mercury move out of the cellar Tuesday night when they visit the Houston Comets, whom they're tied with in the standings.

Taurasi tops the league with 23.5 points per game with Pondexter right behind at 23.2, but the Mercury (11-12) are tied with the Comets (11-12) at the bottom of the West a year after winning their first league title.

With Taurasi and Pondexter, scoring hasn't been the problem for Houston this season. The duo had 38 points Saturday as the Mercury beat Atlanta 110-94, with Phoenix coming within two points of tying the franchise record for a game.

The offensive outburst, which included four other Mercury players scoring in double figures, came after Taurasi and Pondexter combined for 50 points in a 99-92 win over Los Angeles on Thursday. That victory snapped a three-game slide.

Taurasi and Pondexter have made Phoenix the league's highest-scoring team at 89.8 points per game, but the Mercury are the WNBA's worst defensively at 90.0 points allowed per contest.

Phoenix's offense-first philosophy was evident in its last meeting with Houston on July 8, as Taurasi had 30 points and six assists and Pondexter added 22 and five in a 99-94 home victory.

The Mercury have won six consecutive meetings with the Comets, scoring 96.5 points per game while allowing 87.2. Taurasi has averaged 32.8 points in four of those matchups.

The Comets are also looking for a third consecutive win after Michelle Snow had 20 points and eight rebounds to spark Saturday's 75-72 overtime victory over Los Angeles. Houston opened the five-game homestand Thursday with a 96-88 victory over Minnesota to end a three-game skid.

Tina Thompson, Houston's scoring leader (17.2 ppg) and second-leading rebounder (7.1), is looking to bounce back from a dismal performance against the Sparks. The forward had a season-low three points on 1-for-11 shooting after scoring 25 points Thursday.

Thompson is averaging 15.3 points and 7.8 rebounds in the last four games versus the Mercury after totaling 69 points and 25 rebounds in the previous two meetings. She had 23 points and seven boards against them July 8.