Saturday 1 June 2019 07:43, UK
Essence Carson scored 20 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer, as the Phoenix Mercury rallied from 12 points down to beat the Las Vegas Aces 86-84.
Essence Carson scored 20 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer, to lead all five Phoenix starters in double figures, as the Mercury rallied from 12 points down to beat the Las Vegas Aces 86-84.
It was Carson's highest scoring total since a 21-point effort for the New York Liberty on June 5, 2013.
Brittney Griner and Yvonne Turner each had 18 points, Briann January was 5-of-5 from three-point range and finished with 16 points, and DeWanna Bonner added 12 points and 12 rebounds for Phoenix (1-1). Turner also had a career-high 10 assists.
Bonner kicked it out to Carson for a triple from the right side that gave the Mercury an 85-82 lead with 46.3 seconds to go and January made 1-of-2 free throws to make it a four-point game 29 seconds later.
Kayla McBride made a driving lay-up to make it 86-84 with 12.6 seconds remaining and, after a turnover by Carson, missed a potential tying jumper.
The rebound went out of bounds and, after video review determined it was last touched by Bonner, it was Aces ball out of bounds with 6.6 seconds to play.
A'ja Wilson, the No 1 overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft and the reigning Rookie of the Year, missed a jumper in the lane, got her own rebound and missed a putback and time expired.
Natasha Howard had 19 points and 14 rebounds and Jordin Canada added 12 points and eight assists as the Seattle Storm beat the Atlanta Dream 82-66.
Alysha Clark had 11 points and Mercedes Russell and Jewell Loyd each scored 10 for Seattle.
The defending WNBA champion Storm continue to be without reigning MVP Breanna Stewart (out for the season due to an Achilles injury), 11-time all-star Sue Bird (out indefinitely after arthroscopic surgery Thursday on her right knee) and head coach Dan Hughes (on medical leave after having a cancerous tumor removed from his digestive tract on May 14).
Howard hit two free throws before Canada scored back-to-back baskets to spark a 16-4 run that gave Seattle a 25-12 lead with six minutes left in the second quarter and the Dream (1-1) trailed by double figures the rest of the way.
Brittney Sykes led Atlanta with 12 points. The Dream shot just 32.9 per cent (24-of-73) from the field, including 6-of-23 (26.1 per cent) from three-point range.
The Storm had 23 assists and 30 made field goals.
Chiney Ogwumike scored 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting and her sister Nneka Ogwumike had 19 points and 15 rebounds to help the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Connecticut Sun 77-70.
Derek Fisher, who was named coach of the Sparks in December, got his first WNBA win. The 18-year NBA veteran, who won five titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, went 40-96 as coach of the New York Knicks from 2014-2016.
Chiney Ogwumike was acquired by the Sparks from Connecticut on April 27 in exchange for a 2020 first-round pick.
Nneka Ogwumike's three-pointer with 0.7 seconds left in the second quarter capped a 13-4 run that gave the Sparks (1-1) a 38-31 half-time lead and Connecticut trailed the rest of the way.
Jonquel Jones hit a three-pointer to pull the Sun (2-1) within one with 4:33 left in the fourth quarter and her three-point play with 1:41 to go made it 69-67.
Chiney Ogwumike answered with her own three-point play and, after Jones hit 1-of-2 free throws, Nneka Ogwumike made a corner three to push the lead to 75-68 with 40.8 seconds remaining.
Jones had 16 points and a career-high tying 22 rebounds for Connecticut. Courtney Williams and Jasmine Thomas each added 14 points.
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