Shock-Mercury Preview

By KATE HEDLIN
Posted Jul 17 2010 12:29AM

The Phoenix Mercury are coming off a heartbreaking loss in their last game, but consecutive games against the league-worst Tulsa Shock may be a good way to get back on track.

In these teams' first meeting since Phoenix set a WNBA record for points in a regulation game, the Mercury look to improve to 3-0 in the season series as they host the Shock on Saturday.

Phoenix (7-12) went into the All-Star break having won back-to-back games following a six-game losing streak, but the defending WNBA champions dropped a 111-107 decision in triple overtime to Western Conference-leading Seattle on Wednesday.

"It was a regular-season game, money time comes later," coach Corey Gaines said. "No let down, sometimes you lose games, sometimes it's a good loss. I take it as a good loss."

Diana Taurasi scored a season-high 44 points - three shy of her league record - but she missed a 3-pointer with 27 seconds remaining and the score tied at 107. Sue Bird then hit a 3 with 6.4 seconds left and added a free throw in the closing seconds to secure the win in the WNBA's fifth triple-overtime game.

It was another tough defeat for the Mercury. Of their last seven losses, five have been by fewer than five points.

The latest defeat, however, did little to dampen spirits. While Phoenix is 10 games behind the Storm, it's only a half-game behind second-place Minnesota.

"(Seattle is) a team we're going to face in the playoffs," forward Penny Taylor said. "We've shown them that we're not going to lay die down and die and we fought really hard. Hopefully we can get better before we play this team again."

Although it's been on the losing end of some tough decisions recently, Phoenix hasn't had to sweat things out against Tulsa (4-15), recording a 110-96 road win on May 25 and a 116-84 home victory on June 12 in which the Mercury set a WNBA record for most points in a regulation game.

The Shock will be trying for back-to-back wins for the second time this season after they snapped a 12-game losing streak with a 75-70 victory over San Antonio on Friday. Ivory Latta scored 15 points, all on 3-pointers, helping Tulsa come back from a 51-44 deficit with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter.

"I'm just so proud of my girls," said Latta, who was playing in her third game with the Shock after being released by Atlanta earlier this year. "We got a taste of victory, and we're going to try and keep going. We're learning each other's tendencies and coming together as a group."

With the victory, Tulsa pulled within 2 1/2 games of the Silver Stars for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Shock haven't won back-to-back games since May 29-June 4.

After Saturday, the Mercury don't play again until they visit Tulsa on Thursday. The Shock visit Los Angeles on Tuesday before the rematch.

Taylor paces Mercury to 97-88 win over Shock

Posted Jul 18 2010 12:10AM

PHOENIX(AP) Penny Taylor scored 29 points with seven assists and six rebounds, and the Phoenix Mercury beat the Tulsa Shock 97-88 on Saturday night.

Candice Dupree added 26 points and six rebounds for the Mercury (8-12), who have won three of their last four and seem to have the Shock figured out.

Phoenix had defeated Tulsa by an average of 23 points in their previous two meetings, scoring more than 110 points both times.

Scholanda Robinson had 15 points and five rebounds for the Shock (4-16), who snapped a season-worst 12-game skid Friday at San Antonio. Still, Tulsa is winless in four tries when it plays the second of back-to-back games.

Tulsa stayed with the league's top-scoring and best-shooting team for nearly three quarters, until the Mercury used their perimeter shooting and fast break to run off seven straight points twice late in the third quarter. Tangela Smith capped a 20-7 run with a 3 with 15 seconds left in the period and Phoenix led 76-64 going into the final quarter.

Tulsa got within six in the final 3 minutes but no closer.

Diana Taurasi added 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists for Phoenix, which has scored more than 90 points in six consecutive games - the only team in league history to do.

Five players scored in double figures for the Shock, including Kara Braxton with 12. Ivory Latta added 11 points and four assists in her fourth game with Tulsa.

With the win, Phoenix moved a half game in front of Minnesota, to second place in the WNBAs Western Conference.

Amber Holt was 5 for 5 from the field, including a pair of baskets in the final 2:13 before halftime to help Tulsa cut a 10-point deficit to 47-45 at the break.

• Shock: --
• Mercury: --

• Shock: --
• Mercury: --

• Lead Changes: 1
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ
• Officials: #9 Denise Brooks-Clauser, #24 Tony Dawkins, #55 Eric Brewton
• Attendance: 8564
• Duration: 1:52