UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — DeWanna Bonner scored 16 points, Alyssa Thomas had 11 points, seven rebounds and seven assists and the Connecticut Sun beat the short-handed Los Angeles Sparks 79-70 on Tuesday night for their 10th straight victory in the series.
The game was marred by an apparent knee injury to Los Angeles rookie Cameron Brink. Brink, the No. 2 overall pick in the WNBA draft, fell awkwardly on a drive to the basket in the first quarter and did not return. Once over to the sidelines, Brink hobbled toward the locker room before a pair of Sparks personnel lifted her off her feet and carried her.
Connecticut (13-1) is off to its best 14-game start in franchise history. The Sun haven’t lost to the Sparks since July 30, 2020.
MERCURY 99, LIBERTY 93
PHOENIX (AP) — Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi each scored 19 points to lead six Phoenix players in double figures and the Mercury beat New York in a game that featured a WNBA record 33 made 3-pointers.
Griner made a layup to give Phoenix a 92-89 lead and then blocked a shot by Breanna Stewart at the other end. Taurasi added a 3-pointer to make it 95-91 and Griner put back her own miss with 29.1 seconds left to restore a four-point advantage.
The 33 3-pointers came on 72 attempts, with New York tying the franchise record of 18. The Liberty (12-3), who had an eight-game winning streak snapped, had three players with at least four made 3-pointers, led by Stewart’s 4-of-4 shooting.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton made New York’s 18th 3-pointer to get within 86-85. But the Liberty missed their final four from long distance to come up just short of a league record.
The Associated Press
