Coverage of the WNBA playoffs continues on Sunday evening with Game 3 of the best-of-five semi-final series between the Connecticut Sun and Chicago Sky. Tied at 1-1, the contest moves to Chicago for the next two encounters. Join us live from 6pm on Sky Sports Arena
Friday 1 October 2021 11:32, UK
Diana Taurasi scored a playoff career-high 37 points and the visiting Phoenix Mercury never trailed in a 117-91 victory over the Las Vegas Aces on Friday morning.
Taurasi, playing just her third game after a five-game absence due to an ankle injury, made 10 of 13 field goals, including 8 of 11 from three-point range, and all nine of her free throws to help even the semi-final series at 1-1.
Brittney Griner scored 16 of her 25 points in the first quarter as the fifth-seeded Mercury got off to a fast start for the second consecutive game and never slowed down. They shot a blistering 60.6 per cent from the floor, including 53.8 per cent on three-point attempts.
Skylar Diggins-Smith added 17 points and Kia Nurse and Shey Peddy scored 11 each for Phoenix, who will now host Game 3 on Sunday evening.
Newly-crowned Sixth Player of the Year Kelsey Pulm scored 25 points, Riquna Williams added 17, Liz Cambage had 13, A'ja Wilson had 12 and Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young 10 each to lead the second-seeded Aces.
The other semi-final series was also tied 1-1 after Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner scored 15 points apiece and the top-seeded Connecticut Sun beat the sixth-seeded Chicago Sky 79-68 in Game 2.
Thomas grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out six assists while Bonner had eight boards. The Sun won despite an off night from WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones, who finished with just four points on 2-of-9 shooting and pulled down seven rebounds.
Jasmine Thomas and Briann January scored 12 apiece and Brionna Jones contributed 11 points for Connecticut, who bounced back from a 101-95 double-overtime loss to Chicago in Game 1 on Tuesday night.
"It's just about protecting our home court," Alyssa Thomas told the ESPN2 broadcast. "We didn't come out and perform last game. We had slow starts today. My job all year is just to bring energy, and that was my goal today."
Kahleah Copper paced the Sky with 13 points, Candace Parker totalled 12 points and seven boards, Courtney Vandersloot and Azura Stevens scored 10 each and Allie Quigley added eight for Chicago.
The Sky took their first loss during the 2021 playoffs after winning back-to-back single-elimination games to reach the semi-finals, then shocking the Sun in the series opener.
Game 2 is live on Sky Sports Arena from 6pm on Sunday.
