Mercury Snap Sparks' 19-Game Home Winning Streak, 90-84
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Diana Taurasi scored 32 points and DeWanna Bonner had 17 points and 11 rebounds as the Phoenix Mercury snapped the Los Angeles Sparks' 19-game regular season home winning streak Thursday night, 90-84.
Phoenix (9-7) played a third straight game without injured Brittney Griner, but became the first team to defeat Los Angeles at home this season. Penny Taylor scored 16 points and Candice Dupree added 15 points and nine rebounds as the Mercury snapped a three-game slide.
Candace Parker led the Sparks (11-5) with 25 points and 14 rebounds and Kristi Toliver had 16 points. Los Angeles saw its overal six-game winning streak end. Its last regular-season loss at home was on June 24, 2012 to San Antonio.
Taurasi made 15 of 17 free throws and had six assists. It was her second-highest points total this season.
Jenna O' Hea made a 3-pointer to cap a 10-2 run that got the Sparks within 73-72, but Phoenix ran off the next nine points. Taylor, in her first start of the season, converted on two drives during the run.
Bonner made a 3-pointer and a layup as Phoenix opened the third quarter on a 9-2 run and took its biggest lead at 55-40 on Alexis Hornbuckle's reverse layup.
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