The last-place Phoenix Mercury will go on the road and try to upend the WNBA-leading Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday when they meet in a Commissioner’s Cup matchup.
Despite their polar-opposite locations in the standings, both Las Vegas and Phoenix head into the contest coming off wins.
The Mercury (4-14) snapped a three-game skid with their 78-72 win over Los Angeles on Sunday. Brittney Griner notched a double-double with 29 points — including her first dunk of the season, a one-handed slam — and 11 rebounds, while Diana Taurasi added 22 points and five assists.
“We’ve had these opportunities, we just haven’t been able to finish,” Taurasi told the Arizona Republic. “We just had a more aggressive mentality. When you play passive in these games, it just bites you in the butt. But when we play aggressive not passive, good things happen.”
In its three losses before Sunday, Phoenix was outscored in each first quarter. Against the Sparks, the Mercury showed that more aggressive approach by setting the tone in the opening period, 17-14.
Las Vegas (17-2) rebounded on Sunday with a 113-89 romp over Minnesota. The win comes after the Aces suffered just their second loss of the season two days earlier.
Kelsey Plum scored a franchise-record 40 points on just 18 field-goal attempts, making 14, including 6 of 9 from 3-point range.
“I’ve gotten to a point where I’m very unattached to the statistical result … and just trying to make the right play,” Plum said postgame. “We just have hoopers, man. And you’ve got to guard all of them. You get to score 40 because they have to guard everyone else.”
Sunday marked the Aces’ fourth 100-plus-point game of the season. Their 93.6 points per game lead the league; Phoenix’s 77.0 points rank last.
Las Vegas routed the Mercury, 99-79, in Phoenix in their first meeting last month. That matchup came the same week the Mercury fired coach Vanessa Nygaard.
Phoenix is 2-4 under interim coach Nikki Blue.
–Field Level Media
