Mercury top Mystics, Griner becomes franchise’s leading rebounder
Aug 8, 2023, 9:51 PM
Brittney Griner #42 of the Phoenix Mercury warms up before the game against the Atlanta Dream at Gateway Center Arena on July 25, 2023 in College Park, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
(Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
PHOENIX — Diana Taurasi and Moriah Jefferson each scored 15 points to help the Phoenix Mercury beat the Washington Mystics 91-72 on Tuesday night.
Brittney Griner became Phoenix’s all-time leading rebounder, passing DeWanna Bonner (2,072). Griner has played in 276 regular-season games compared to Bonner’s 335 in a Mercury uniform.
Griner finished with 11 points and eight rebounds for Phoenix. Sophie Cunningham added 14 points and Michaela Onyenwere scored 11.
Phoenix (8-20) has scored 91 points in each of its last three games — with two victories. Washington (13-15) hasn’t won in Arizona since the 2018 season.
Kadi Sissoko made her first 3-pointer of the season to extend Phoenix’s lead to 60-47 midway through the third quarter.
Washington scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to get within 71-61 after Phoenix turned it over on its first three possessions. But the Mercury scored the next six points and led by double figures the rest of the way.
Brittney Sykes scored 24 points for Washington. Myisha Hines-Allen had 11 points and seven assists, and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough added 10 points.
Sykes scored 13 of Washington’s 34 first-half points.
