Taylor, Taurasi lead Mercury past LibertyNEWARK, New Jersey – Penny Taylor scored 29 points, Diana Taurasi had 16, including a key 3-pointer in the final minute, and Phoenix beat New York 91-84 Saturday night. Candice Dupree added 10 points and seven rebounds to help the Mercury (11-7) end a three-game losing streak. Phoenix shot 51 percent (29 for 57) from the field and 26 for 28 from the free-throw line. Nicole Powell scored 16 points, Plenette Pierson had 15 and Cappie Pondexter 13 for the Liberty (10-8), who lost for the third time in five games after winning four straight. Storm 89, Shock 72: At Tulsa, Oklahoma, Sue Bird scored a season-high 29 points as the Seattle handed Tulsa their 12th straight loss. Swin Cash chipped in with 23 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Tiffany Jackson scored 16 points for Tulsa (1-17). Ivory Latta finished with 13 and Liz Cambage 11. Down 48-35 at halftime after Andrea Riley's half-court shot, the Shock pulled within 60-55 in the third quarter. The defending WNBA champions answered with a 13-2 spurt to regain control and cruise to the victory. Sparks 88, Sky 84: At Rosemont, Illinois, DeLisha Milton-Jones scored 19 points and made a pair of clinching free throws as Los Angeles held off a second-half comeback to beat Chicago. The Sky had closed within two points in the final minute, but Milton-Jones' free throws with 10.6 seconds left gave the Sparks (7-10) an 86-82 lead. Chicago (9-11) nearly erased a 20-point deficit behind 12 second-half points from Epiphanny Prince and 10 from Sylvia Fowles. Both finished with 16 points, while Erin Thorn scored 17 off the bench. Tina Thompson had 14 points for Los Angeles and Jantel Lavender added 13.
