The Phoenix Mercury secured a convincing 86-68 victory over the Chicago Sky, with Diana Taurasi leading the charge by scoring 23 points, 12 of which came in the team’s highest-scoring first quarter of the season. Sophie Cunningham also shined, recording her first double-double in the WNBA with 13 points and a career-best 10 rebounds.
Adding to the strong performance, Brittney Griner contributed 18 points, and Monique Billings, who had just signed a seven-day contract with Phoenix, impressed with 13 points, eight rebounds, and two steals in 23 minutes on the court.
Taurasi’s stellar play, including a remarkable pull-up 3-pointer early in the game, propelled the Mercury to maintain the lead throughout the match. Phoenix dominated for nearly 38 minutes to secure the win.
On the Chicago side, Angel Reese stood out with 19 points and a career-high 20 rebounds, maintaining her impressive streak of double-digit rebounds in 20 consecutive games. Chennedy Carter and Kamilla Cardoso also made notable contributions with 16 and 12 points, respectively.
Despite their efforts, Chicago struggled with their shooting, managing only 35.9% from the field, missing all 14 attempted 3-pointers, and converting just 12 of 21 free throws.
The victory marked Phoenix’s second win over Chicago this season, with one more game remaining between the two teams next month. The Mercury had previously defeated the Sky 85-65 before the league’s brief pause for the Paris Olympics.
In other recent games, Phoenix fell to the Indiana Fever, while Chicago managed to bounce back with a win against the Los Angeles Sparks.