Diana Taurasi first WNBA player to reach 1,000 career 3-pointers
PHOENIX -- Diana Taurasi scored 20 of her 26 points in the first half and became the first WNBA player with 1,000 career 3-pointers, helping the Phoenix Mercury beat the Dallas Wings 86-78 on Friday night in the league's season opener.
Taurasi is one of four players, joining the NBA's Damian Lillard, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, to reach the 3-point mark with fewer than 400 games played.
DeWanna Bonner returned after missing last season to give birth to twins, and had 17 points and 12 rebounds for Phoenix. Brittney Griner, coming off a championship in Russia, battled foul trouble and finished with 13 points. Newcomer Briann January had 10 points.
Liz Cambage, a top international player returning to the WNBA after four seasons away, made six of her first nine shots for 14 first-half points and finished with 18 for Dallas. Skylar Diggins-Smith also scored 18 and Glory Johnson had 12 points and eight rebounds before being helped off the floor because of an apparent leg injury at the 6:11 mark of the fourth quarter.
Regular Season Series
PHX wins 2-1
Game Information
- Referees:
- Che Flores
- Tom Mauer
- Maj Forsberg