Stacey Dales scored a season-high 18 in Chicago's 92-74 loss at Washington. Mitchell Layton/NBAE/Getty Images WNBA Photo Gallery: July 27, 2006

Taurasi TODAY'S TOP STORY Classic Battle: Thursday's Mercury-Comets matchup featured a little bit of everything: a 41-point effort from Diana Taurasi, a near triple-double from Sheryl Swoopes, a huge second-half comeback by Phoenix, and in the end, a wild 98-95 win for Houston. Taurasi's output was a career high, tied Lisa Leslie for most in the league this season and was five shy of Katie Smith's WNBA record, set on July 8, 2001. Rookie Cappie Pondexter scored 16 of her 29 points in the fourth quarter as the Mercury erased a 17-point deficit, but Michelle Snow's jumper with 23.8 seconds left gave the Comets the lead for good. The best news for WNBA fans is that the teams meet again in Phoenix on Sunday. ALSO MAKING HEADLINES ... One Step Closer: The Mystics returned to .500 and strengthened their grip on the fourth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference with a 92-74 win over the Sky. Alana Beard scored 12 of her 26 in the second quarter and Chasity Melvin connected on all eight of her shots from the field en route to 16 points. The Mystics hold a five-game lead over the fifth-place Sting with eight games left in the regular season. Milton-Jones WHAT THEY'RE SAYING "That lets you know that the ball is moving and it's not getting stuck in one player's hands. We're not having to depend on one player to carry the load for the team offensively. If we can continue to play like this going into the playoffs, we can upset some people who are probably taking us lightly at this point." -- Washington's DeLisha Milton-Jones on her team shooting 58.3 percent from the field in a 92-74 win over visiting Chicago .

Melvin WHO'S HOT Chasity Melvin, WAS: 16 pts 8-8 FG Diana Taurasi, PHO: 41 pts 14-28 FG, 5-10 3-pt FG Alana Beard, WAS: 26 pts 8-12 FG, 9-9 FT

Darling WHO'S NOT Helen Darling, CHA: 1-9 FG, 4 pts Kristen Mann, MIN: 2-9 FG, 5 pts Monique Currie, CHA: 2-8 FG, 8 pts

Pondexter ROOKIE WATCH It didn't add up to a win, but Cappie Pondexter can't be accused of failing to deliver in the clutch in the Mercury's 98-95 road loss to the Comets. She helped Phoenix erase a 17-point deficit, scoring 16 of her 29 in the fourth quarter, including a pair of free throws with 36.9 seconds left that gave the Mercury a 95-94 lead. Pondexter finished 9-of-18 from the field, 10-of-11 from the stripe, with four assists and three steals.

Swoopes FILLING THE BOXSCORE Sheryl Swoopes recorded her second double-double in three games and fell just short of her first career triple-double in the Comets' wild 98-95 home win over the Mercury. The nine-year pro had 19 points, a career high-tying 10 assists, seven rebounds and four steals.