Phoenix Mercury @ Connecticut Sun
Mercury blows 22-point lead, rallies for win over Sun in OT
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Skylar Diggins-Smith scored a season-high 33 points, including a tying 35-footer at the end of regulation, Diana Taurasi added 28, and the Phoenix Mercury gave up a 22-point lead before beating the Connecticut Sun 100-95 in overtime on Wednesday night.
Brianna Turner had 10 points, a career-high 21 rebounds, five assists and four blocks for Phoenix (13-8). The Mercury have won seven of their last eight games to pull within a half-game of the fourth-place Minnesota Lynx.
Taurasi hit a 3-pointer -- her fifth of the game -- with 1:46 to play to break a 91-all tie and give the Mercury the lead for good. Diggins-Smith added a jumper 55 seconds later and Taurasi made two free throws to cap a 7-1 spurt that made it 98-92 with 15.4 seconds to go.
DeWanna Bonner had 32 points and 10 rebounds and Alyssa Thomas added 18 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three steals for Connecticut (10-11).
Second in the NBA in offensive rebounds at 9.7 per game, the Sun had a season-high 19 against Phoenix, including one by Thomas with 18.5 seconds left in regulation and the game tied at 84-all. But after Connecticut called a timeout, Kaila Charles threw the in-bound pass directly to the Mercury's Shey Peddy and Diggins-Smith made a layup.
Bonner answered with a 3-pointer and then forced Taurasi out of bounds before hitting two free throws to make it 89-86 with 3.4 seconds to go. Diggins-Smith hit a runner to force OT.
The Sun beat Phoenix 85-70 on Monday to snap its six-game win streak.
Phoenix led 40-18 midway through the second quarter but the Sun used a 33-10 run to take a three point lead into the fourth.
Regular Season Series
Series tied 1-1
Game Information
- Referees:
- Jeff Smith
- Byron Jarrett
- Matt Kallio
2024-25 Western Conference Standings
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 34 | 10 | .773 | - | W1 |
| Las Vegas | 30 | 14 | .682 | 4 | W16 |
| Phoenix | 27 | 17 | .614 | 7 | L3 |
| Seattle | 23 | 21 | .523 | 11 | W1 |
| Golden State | 23 | 21 | .523 | 11 | L3 |
| Los Angeles | 21 | 23 | .477 | 13 | L1 |
| Dallas | 10 | 34 | .227 | 24 | W1 |

