Mercury-Shock Preview

By SAMANTHA PANITCH
Posted Jul 22 2010 9:35AM

The Phoenix Mercury missed the playoffs the year after winning their first WNBA first championship. Lately, they have appeared more determined to make sure that does not happen again.

Phoenix looks to strengthen its hold on second place in the tightly packed Western Conference when it visits the Tulsa Shock on Thursday night.

The Mercury won the league title in 2007, but went 16-16 the following year. Like all but one of its Western Conference rivals, Phoenix (8-12) is off to a slow start this season, but its recent play suggests that the Mercury may be getting on track.

The defending champs have won three of four since a six-game losing streak, a skid that may have helped remind them of some valuable lessons learned in '08.

"It's really tough because everybody wants what we have," center Tangela Smith told the team's official website. "They're coming at us extremely hard and we've learned it's important to match that intensity."

Phoenix's two losses in July came by a total of seven points to Atlanta and Seattle, who are a combined 33-11. The Storm have the league's best record at 19-2.

"I think whether you're defending the title or not, every team is good," said Mercury forward Penny Taylor, who along with her teammates was honored at the White House on Monday. "Obviously I feel people are really focusing every time they come into this gym because we are the defending champions, and it's important to understand that wins aren't going to come easy."

The Mercury are coming off a 97-88 victory over the Shock (4-17) on Saturday. Phoenix is a half-game in front of Minnesota for second place in the West, just 4 1/2 ahead of last-place Tulsa.

Taylor had 29 points and seven assists while Candice Dupree added 26 points and six rebounds for the Mercury. Diana Taurasi scored 16 as Phoenix became the first team in league history to top the 90-point mark in six consecutive games.

The Mercury have averaged 107.7 points in winning all three meetings with the Shock this year.

Tulsa got 15 points from Scholanda Robinson and 13 rebounds from Chante Black. Five Shock players scored in double figures.

Tulsa is coming off of an 86-83 overtime loss to Los Angeles on Tuesday, its 14th defeat in 15 games.

Robinson scored 19 points and Ivory Latta had 10 points and seven assists for the Shock, who continued to be plagued poor shooting and turnovers. They shot 37 percent from the field and turned the ball over 23 times, leading to 28 Sparks points.

Tulsa leads the league with 18.6 turnovers per game and is shooting 42.7 percent from the field, third worst in the WNBA.

The Shock will be trying to win at home for the first time since June 4.

Taurasi, Dupree help Mercury rout Shock 123-91

Posted Jul 22 2010 11:45PM

TULSA, Okla. (AP) Diana Taurasi scored 26 points, Candice Dupree had 23 and the defending champion Phoenix Mercury beat the Tulsa Shock 123-91 Thursday night.

Ketia Swanier added 17 points, Tangela Smith 13, DeWanna Bonner 11 and Penny Taylor 10 for the Mercury (9-12), who scored a WNBA-record 67 points in the first half. Phoenix also set a record for most points in the second quarter with 36, and tied the mark for most field goals in a half with 25.

``Records are nice, but as long as you win the game,'' Taurasi said. ``I think we are more happy that we got to play really good basketball for long stretches. But records are nice too.''

Phoenix shot 59 percent (36 of 61) from the field, including 9 for 16 on 3-pointers. The Shock were limited to 44 percent (27 for 61) from the floor and 31 percent (5 for 16) on 3s. The Mercury thrived on free throws at 100 percent (18 of 18) while Tulsa was just 3 for 5. Phoenix finished with a 40-33 rebounding advantage.

``I think we did a good job on the boards defensively,'' Taurasi said. ``We did a good job of stopping things they did really well against us in Phoenix (in the Mercury's 97-88 win over Tulsa at home last Saturday). We concentrated on that and then that got the running game going for us, a little bit.''

As they have in most games this season, the Shock had trouble making shots and rebounding. They were often limited to one shot per possession while the Mercury got some offensive rebounds before scoring. Phoenix finished with a 40-33 rebounding advantage.

Kara Braxton scored 18 points to lead the Shock (4-18). Shanna Crossley had 12 points, Jennifer Lacy added 11, and Ivory Latta and Amber Holt 10 each. Tulsa has lost three straight after a snapping a 12-game skid last week at San Antonio.

The Mercury scored 100 or more points for the third time this season against the Shock and completed a four-game sweep of the franchise which was sold and moved from Detroit in the offseason.

The Mercury stretched a 31-21 lead after one quarter to 26 at halftime and 33 after the third. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Taurasi and a layup by Swanier made it 45-26 early in the second.

``We just hit on all cylinders, getting open shots,'' Phoenix coach Corey Gaines said.

Although Tulsa fought back with runs, Phoenix regained momentum and kept pouring it on.

``There is no question that when you look at the ballclub, and they're trying with every ounce of energy they got left, it's just a disaster when you're watching and you can't do nothing to stop it,'' Shock coach Nolan Richardson said.

``You can substitute, you can do whatever you think you can to stop the bleeding, but again, they just keep the pressure on. Their guards are so quick that they make great penetrating moves that if you don't cover them, they score. If you do, they kick it out. Just a tough match tonight.''

The Mercury took an early seven-point lead before Tulsa pulled to 13-11 in the first quarter. However, Phoenix took over from that point, putting together strings of runs.

• Mercury: --
• Shock: --

• Mercury: --
• Shock: --

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: BOK Center, Tulsa, OK
• Officials: #24 Tony Dawkins, #7 Clarke Stevens, #38 Lamont Simpson
• Attendance: 3333
• Duration: 1:51