Carla Leite scored 15 of her 23 points in the fourth quarter, Megan DiLeo added 15 points, and the Portland Fire overcame a nine-point deficit to beat the host Phoenix Mercury 88-85 Sunday on the night the Mercury honored WNBA career leading scorer Diana Taurasi.
Bridget Carleton scored nine points and had a key blocked shot in less than 15 seconds remaining.
Emily Engstler had nine points and seven rebounds for the expansion Fire (15-20), who have won four of five in a belated run at the eighth and final playoff berth. They sit five games back of Dallas.
DeWanna Bonner had 23 points and hit four 3-pointers, Kahleah Copper scored 19, and Alyssa Thomas had 17 points, 11 rebounds and nine rebounds — one assist short of her third triple-double of the season.
The Mercury never trailed in the second half until Leite’s layup gave the Fire an 81-80 lead with 1:53 left. Engstler’s reverse layup made it 83-80 with 54.9 seconds left.
Copper’s driving layup brought the Mercury within one and 83-82, but the Mercury committed a turnover with 22.1 seconds left after a Fire miss. Karlie Samuelson made one of two free throws and Carleton blocked a Copper drive then made two free throws of her own with 9.7 seconds to play.
Thomas stole the ball and banked in her first 3-pointer of the season to pull the Mercury with one at 86-85 with six seconds left before Leite made two more free throws and Sami Whitcomb’s potential game-tying 3 bounced off.
Whitcomb had 11 points for the Mercury (13-23), whose bid for a playoff berth was all but eliminated.
The Mercury played without trade deadline acquisition Kelsey Plum, who missed her second straight game with a left lower leg injury.
DiLeo and Frieda Buhner each made three 3-pointers and Leite had five assists.
Taurasi was inducted into the Mercury Ring of Honor in a halftime presentation. She helped the Mercury to three league titles and was a two-time Finals MVP.
–Field Level Media
