Our Clients:

Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Aug 4, 2023 1:24 am

Diana Taurasi’s milestone effort lifts Mercury over Dream

Diana Taurasi scored 42 points and became the first WNBA player to reach 10,000 career points as the host Phoenix Mercury routed the Atlanta Dream 91-71 on Thursday night.

Taurasi, the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer since 2017, entered the game 18 points short of the milestone and hit it after scoring the first eight points of the third quarter for the Mercury (7-19).

Taurasi, 41, produced a season-high point total for a third consecutive game, easily surpassing the 29 she scored against the Indiana Fever on Tuesday, which eclipsed the 24 she scored against the Chicago Sky on Sunday.

Her point total was her highest since she had 44 against the Seattle Storm on July 14, 2010.

Cheyenne Parker had 20 points and seven rebounds before fouling out, Rhyne Howard scored 14 and Allisha Gray added 10 to lead the Dream (14-13).

Taurasi opened the third-quarter scoring by making a driving layup, then sank consecutive 3-pointers — the second of which gave her exactly 10,000 and increased Phoenix’s lead to 51-39 with 8:23 left in the period.

The Mercury hit a brief lull right after the historic basket, but Taurasi added 11 more points as they expanded their lead to 70-54 at the end of the period.

Taurasi missed a 3-point shot on her first-field goal attempt and the Dream scored the game’s first seven points. Taurasi made her second 3-point attempt for the Mercury’s first points, but Atlanta opened an 11-5 lead.

Phoenix scored the next 12 points, but the Dream followed with a closing 11-0 run to take a 22-17 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Taurasi sank a 7-footer to put Phoenix up 33-32. A three-point play from Taurasi increased the gap to six with one minute left, and the Mercury’s Megan Gustafson sank one of two free throws to send the hosts to the locker room with a 43-36 lead.

Phoenix led by as many as 18 points in the third.

–Field Level Media

You may also like

breece hall
Dec 7, 2024 9:01 pm

Jets RB Breece Hall (knee) downgraded to out vs. Miami

Jets running back Breece Hall has been ruled out for New York’s meeting with the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon. Hall is dealing with a knee injury that bothered him…

nick bosa
Dec 7, 2024 8:41 pm

49ers star defensive end Nick Bosa to miss third straight game

San Francisco 49ers star defensive end Nick Bosa will miss his third straight game after being downgraded to out for Sunday’s contest against the Chicago Bears. Bosa has been sidelined…

scott frost
Dec 7, 2024 8:35 pm

Reports: UCF bringing back former 13-0 coach Scott Frost

Scott Frost, who guided UCF to a 13-0 season in 2017, is returning to the school for a second stint as head coach, according to multiple reports on Saturday night….

More News News

breece hall
Dec 7, 2024 9:01 pm

Jets RB Breece Hall (knee) downgraded to out vs. Miami

Jets running back Breece Hall has been ruled out for New York’s meeting with the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon. Hall is dealing with a knee injury that bothered him…

nick bosa
Dec 7, 2024 8:41 pm

49ers star defensive end Nick Bosa to miss third straight game

scott frost
Dec 7, 2024 8:35 pm

Reports: UCF bringing back former 13-0 coach Scott Frost

willy adames hits a single
Dec 7, 2024 8:32 pm

Reports: SS Willy Adames agrees to seven-year, $182M deal with Giants

eric musselman
Dec 7, 2024 8:23 pm

Shorthanded USC has no problems defeating Washington

Read all
fb-post
advertisment
title-icon

Upcoming events

See all odds