Mercury 78-72 Sparks (9 Jul, 2023) Play-by-Play

Los Angeles Sparks

7-12, 2-7 away

	1	2	3	4	T
LA	14	22	14	22	72
PHX	17	25	17	19	78

Phoenix Mercury

4-14, 3-6 home

Sophie Cunningham misses 24-foot three point jumper
Brittney Griner makes two point shot
Brianna Turner makes two point shot (Diana Taurasi assists)
Brittney Griner makes layup (Diana Taurasi assists)
Brittney Griner makes 10-foot two point shot (Sophie Cunningham assists)
Brittney Griner misses 17-foot jumper
Brittney Griner misses 5-foot two point shot
Diana Taurasi misses 28-foot three point pullup jump shot
Sophie Cunningham misses 24-foot three point jumper
Brittney Griner misses 8-foot two point shot
Moriah Jefferson misses 26-foot three point jumper
Kadi Sissoko misses 23-foot three point jumper
Moriah Jefferson makes two point shot
Michaela Onyenwere misses driving layup
Megan Gustafson makes jumper (Moriah Jefferson assists)
Moriah Jefferson makes 12-foot pullup jump shot
Diana Taurasi makes 10-foot jumper (Moriah Jefferson assists)
Michaela Onyenwere misses layup
Diana Taurasi misses 24-foot three point pullup jump shot
Moriah Jefferson misses 19-foot pullup jump shot
Sug Sutton misses 24-foot three point jumper
Sug Sutton makes 23-foot three point jumper (Diana Taurasi assists)
Rae Burrell blocks Sophie Cunningham's driving layup
Brittney Griner makes hook shot (Sophie Cunningham assists)
Brittney Griner makes dunk (Sug Sutton assists)
Diana Taurasi makes two point shot
Brittney Griner misses 11-foot two point shot
Sophie Cunningham misses 25-foot three point pullup jump shot
Michaela Onyenwere misses two point shot
Moriah Jefferson makes three point jumper (Diana Taurasi assists)
Moriah Jefferson misses 13-foot pullup jump shot
Megan Gustafson makes 24-foot three point jumper (Moriah Jefferson assists)
Brianna Turner makes layup (Brittney Griner assists)
Brittney Griner makes two point shot (Sug Sutton assists)
Brittney Griner makes 5-foot jump bank shot (Sug Sutton assists)
Brianna Turner misses 17-foot jumper
Diana Taurasi misses 25-foot three point jumper
Moriah Jefferson misses 24-foot three point jumper
Brittney Griner makes two point shot (Michaela Onyenwere assists)
Brittney Griner makes 11-foot jumper (Michaela Onyenwere assists)
Brittney Griner misses 18-foot jumper
Brittney Griner makes two point shot
Jasmine Thomas blocks Michaela Onyenwere 's 5-foot layup
Moriah Jefferson makes two point shot
Sophie Cunningham misses layup
Diana Taurasi makes driving layup (Moriah Jefferson assists)
Megan Gustafson makes 1-foot layup (Moriah Jefferson assists)
Diana Taurasi makes 16-foot pullup jump shot
Sug Sutton misses driving layup
Kadi Sissoko makes two point shot
Diana Taurasi misses 15-foot step back jumpshot
Diana Taurasi makes 25-foot three point jumper (Moriah Jefferson assists)
Brittney Griner misses 7-foot two point shot
Diana Taurasi misses 18-foot jumper
Diana Taurasi makes 24-foot three point jumper (Moriah Jefferson assists)
Moriah Jefferson misses 10-foot pullup jump shot
Brianna Turner misses 15-foot pullup jump shot
Brittney Griner makes layup (Diana Taurasi assists)
Sophie Cunningham misses 24-foot three point jumper
Diana Taurasi makes two point shot (Brittney Griner assists)
Brittney Griner makes 7-foot two point shot (Moriah Jefferson assists)
Moriah Jefferson misses 13-foot pullup jump shot
Jasmine Thomas misses 21-foot pullup jump shot
Jordin Canada misses 20-foot pullup jump shot
Nneka Ogwumike makes 13-foot two point shot (Jasmine Thomas assists)
Azura Stevens misses two point shot
Nneka Ogwumike makes layup (Jasmine Thomas assists)
Azura Stevens misses layup
Jasmine Thomas makes 18-foot pullup jump shot
Jordin Canada makes two point shot
Megan Gustafson blocks Jordin Canada 's 3-foot layup
Zia Cooke misses 23-foot three point jumper
Jordin Canada misses 18-foot pullup jump shot
Jordin Canada misses 25-foot three point jumper
Zia Cooke misses 14-foot pullup jump shot
Nneka Ogwumike makes layup
Nneka Ogwumike misses 13-foot jumper
Brianna Turner blocks Zia Cooke 's 10-foot jumper
Zia Cooke makes 24-foot three point jumper (Rae Burrell assists)
Jasmine Thomas makes 22-foot jumper (Zia Cooke assists)
Azura Stevens makes 24-foot three point jumper (Zia Cooke assists)
Brianna Turner blocks Zia Cooke 's 4-foot layup
Destanni Henderson misses 24-foot three point pullup jump shot
Nneka Ogwumike makes layup (Jordin Canada assists)
Jasmine Thomas misses 13-foot two point shot
Jordin Canada misses 18-foot pullup jump shot
Jordin Canada makes layup (Jasmine Thomas assists)
Nneka Ogwumike makes layup (Zia Cooke assists)
Sophie Cunningham blocks Zia Cooke 's 7-foot two point shot
Nneka Ogwumike makes 4-foot two point shot (Azura Stevens assists)
Jasmine Thomas makes 24-foot three point jumper (Zia Cooke assists)
Jasmine Thomas misses 18-foot jumper
Nneka Ogwumike misses 16-foot two point shot
Zia Cooke misses 24-foot three point jumper
Nneka Ogwumike misses 24-foot three point jumper
Nneka Ogwumike misses layup
Azura Stevens misses 2-foot jumper
Jordin Canada misses 20-foot pullup jump shot
Jordin Canada misses layup
Zia Cooke misses 15-foot pullup jump shot
Jasmine Thomas makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jordin Canada assists)
Jordin Canada misses layup
Jordin Canada misses driving floating jump shot
Zia Cooke misses layup
Azura Stevens misses 23-foot three point jumper
Jasmine Thomas misses 23-foot three point pullup jump shot
Jordin Canada makes driving layup
Jordin Canada misses 24-foot three point pullup jump shot
Azura Stevens makes 8-foot hook shot
Jordin Canada misses driving layup
Azura Stevens misses 24-foot three point jumper
Rae Burrell makes 23-foot step back jumpshot
Azura Stevens makes alley oop layup (Destanni Henderson assists)
Diana Taurasi blocks Rae Burrell 's 2-foot layup
Zia Cooke misses 17-foot pullup jump shot
Azura Stevens misses two point shot
Azura Stevens makes 24-foot three point jumper (Destanni Henderson assists)
Rae Burrell misses 23-foot step back jumpshot
Azura Stevens misses pullup jump shot
Brianna Turner blocks Destanni Henderson 's 3-foot layup
Nneka Ogwumike makes two point shot
Rae Burrell misses layup
Nneka Ogwumike makes layup (Jasmine Thomas assists)
Nneka Ogwumike makes 7-foot pullup jump shot (Jordin Canada assists)
Nneka Ogwumike makes 14-foot pullup jump shot
Jordin Canada makes 24-foot three pointer
Jordin Canada makes 24-foot three pointer
Azura Stevens misses 24-foot three point pullup jump shot
Jordin Canada misses 25-foot three point jumper
Nneka Ogwumike misses layup
Jasmine Thomas misses 23-foot three point jumper
Destanni Henderson makes driving layup

SPARKS

MERCURY

TIME		LA	PHX
10:00	Azura Stevens vs. Brittney Griner (Diana Taurasi gains possession)	0	0
9:46	Sophie Cunningham misses 24-foot three point jumper	0	0
9:43	Brittney Griner offensive rebound	0	0
9:41	Brittney Griner makes two point shot	0	2
9:21	Jasmine Thomas misses 21-foot pullup jump shot	0	2
9:19	Brianna Turner defensive rebound	0	2
9:12	Brianna Turner makes two point shot (Diana Taurasi assists)	0	4
8:59	Jordin Canada misses 20-foot pullup jump shot	0	4
8:58	Mercury defensive team rebound	0	4
8:58	(08:58) [Sparks] REF-INITIATED REVIEW (CALL STANDS)	0	4
8:51	Jasmine Thomas personal foul	0	4
8:46	Brittney Griner makes layup (Diana Taurasi assists)	0	6
8:33	Nneka Ogwumike makes 13-foot two point shot (Jasmine Thomas assists)	2	6
8:15	Brittney Griner makes 10-foot two point shot (Sophie Cunningham assists)	2	8
8:03	Dearica Hamby out of bounds lost ball turnover	2	8
7:50	Brittney Griner misses 17-foot jumper	2	8
7:46	Dearica Hamby defensive rebound	2	8
7:36	Dearica Hamby out of bounds lost ball turnover	2	8
7:36	Michaela Onyenwere enters the game for Moriah Jefferson	2	8
7:23	Brittney Griner misses 5-foot two point shot	2	8
7:19	Nneka Ogwumike defensive rebound	2	8
7:02	Brittney Griner personal foul	2	8
7:02	Jordin Canada makes free throw 1 of 2	3	8
7:02	Jordin Canada makes free throw 2 of 2	4	8
6:53	Brianna Turner bad pass (Azura Stevens steals)	4	8
6:50	Azura Stevens misses two point shot	4	8
6:49	Sparks offensive team rebound	4	8
6:40	Nneka Ogwumike makes layup (Jasmine Thomas assists)	6	8
6:32	Diana Taurasi misses 28-foot three point pullup jump shot	6	8
6:29	Nneka Ogwumike defensive rebound	6	8
6:25	Azura Stevens misses layup	6	8
6:23	Brittney Griner defensive rebound	6	8
6:10	Sophie Cunningham misses 24-foot three point jumper	6	8
6:06	Azura Stevens defensive rebound	6	8
6:00	Jasmine Thomas makes 18-foot pullup jump shot	8	8
5:33	Brittney Griner misses 8-foot two point shot	8	8
5:30	Michaela Onyenwere offensive rebound	8	8
5:30	Kadi Sissoko enters the game for Diana Taurasi	8	8
5:30	Moriah Jefferson enters the game for Brianna Turner	8	8
5:26	Nneka Ogwumike vs. Michaela Onyenwere (Moriah Jefferson gains possession)	8	8
5:12	Moriah Jefferson misses 26-foot three point jumper	8	8
5:10	Sophie Cunningham offensive rebound	8	8
5:05	Kadi Sissoko misses 23-foot three point jumper	8	8
5:05	Michaela Onyenwere offensive rebound	8	8
5:00	Jordin Canada personal foul	8	8
5:00	Megan Gustafson enters the game for Brittney Griner	8	8
5:00	Rae Burrell enters the game for Dearica Hamby	8	8
5:00	Zia Cooke enters the game for Jasmine Thomas	8	8
4:53	Michaela Onyenwere lost ball turnover (Jordin Canada steals)	8	8
4:49	Jordin Canada makes two point shot	10	8
4:31	Moriah Jefferson makes two point shot	10	10
4:24	Megan Gustafson blocks Jordin Canada 's 3-foot layup	10	10
4:24	Sparks offensive team rebound	10	10
4:24	Official timeout	10	10
4:24	Sug Sutton enters the game for Sophie Cunningham	10	10
4:24	5 second violation	10	10
3:58	Michaela Onyenwere misses driving layup	10	10
3:56	Nneka Ogwumike defensive rebound	10	10
3:47	Zia Cooke misses 23-foot three point jumper	10	10
3:46	Sparks offensive team rebound	10	10
3:46	Michaela Onyenwere loose ball foul	10	10
3:41	Jordin Canada misses 18-foot pullup jump shot	10	10
3:38	Megan Gustafson defensive rebound	10	10
3:31	Jordin Canada shooting foul	10	10
3:31	Moriah Jefferson makes free throw 1 of 2	10	11
3:31	Moriah Jefferson misses free throw 2 of 2	10	11
3:27	Azura Stevens defensive rebound	10	11
3:16	Nneka Ogwumike lost ball turnover (Moriah Jefferson steals)	10	11
3:09	Megan Gustafson makes jumper (Moriah Jefferson assists)	10	13
2:59	Nneka Ogwumike offensive charge	10	13
2:59	Nneka Ogwumike turnover	10	13
2:36	Moriah Jefferson makes 12-foot pullup jump shot	10	15
2:24	Moriah Jefferson personal foul	10	15
2:16	Jordin Canada misses 25-foot three point jumper	10	15
2:13	Megan Gustafson defensive rebound	10	15
2:07	Zia Cooke personal foul	10	15
2:07	Diana Taurasi enters the game for Megan Gustafson	10	15
2:07	Brittney Griner enters the game for Sug Sutton	10	15
2:07	Destanni Henderson enters the game for Jordin Canada	10	15
1:54	Diana Taurasi makes 10-foot jumper (Moriah Jefferson assists)	10	17
1:39	Zia Cooke misses 14-foot pullup jump shot	10	17
1:39	Nneka Ogwumike offensive rebound	10	17
1:34	Nneka Ogwumike makes layup	12	17
1:21	Michaela Onyenwere misses layup	12	17
1:20	Rae Burrell defensive rebound	12	17
1:07	Michaela Onyenwere shooting foul	12	17
1:07	Destanni Henderson makes free throw 1 of 2	13	17
1:07	Destanni Henderson makes free throw 2 of 2	14	17
1:07	Sophie Cunningham enters the game for Michaela Onyenwere	14	17
1:07	Brianna Turner enters the game for Kadi Sissoko	14	17
51.1	Brittney Griner 3 second turnover	14	17
38.2	Nneka Ogwumike misses 13-foot jumper	14	17
36.0	Brianna Turner defensive rebound	14	17
31.0	Diana Taurasi misses 24-foot three point pullup jump shot	14	17
27.1	Destanni Henderson defensive rebound	14	17
5.0	Brianna Turner blocks Zia Cooke 's 10-foot jumper	14	17
4.1	Sparks offensive team rebound	14	17
4.1	shot clock turnover	14	17
0.0	Moriah Jefferson misses 19-foot pullup jump shot	14	17
0.0	Mercury offensive team rebound	14	17
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	14	17

Regular Season Series

LA wins 3-1

Mercury
71
Sparks
94

Game 1

20/5

Sparks
99
Mercury
93

Game 2

3/6

Sparks
72
Mercury
78

Game 3

9/7

Mercury
62
Sparks
91

Game 4

24/8

Footprint Center

11:00 PM, 9 July 2023

Phoenix, AZ

Attendance: 9,206

Referees:
Angelica Suffren
Fatou Cissoko-Stephens
Tyler Ricks

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	STRK
Minnesota	30	10	.750	-	L1
Las Vegas	27	13	.675	3	W5
Seattle	25	15	.625	5	W1
Phoenix	19	21	.475	11	L1
Dallas	9	31	.225	21	L9
Los Angeles	8	32	.200	22	W1

Natasha Cloud part of first trade in Unrivaled 3-on-3 history

Natasha Cloud was sent from the Laces BC to the Lunar Owls and then subsequently to Phantom BC. The Lunar Owls received Courtney Williams.

Karl-Anthony Towns receives memorable welcome to Target Center

Towns came back to face his old team at Target Center and was welcomed with a rousing ovation. Here's how other big stars across sports have fared in returns to former homes.

Carmelo, Howard, Moore among 1st-time Hall of Fame nominees

Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Marc Gasol, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles and Chamique Holdsclaw are all first-time candidates for the Basketball Hall of Fame's Class of 2025.

ESPN BET is owned and operated by PENN Entertainment, Inc. and its subsidiaries ('PENN'). ESPN BET is available in states where PENN is licensed to offer sports wagering. Must be 21+ to wager. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.