WNBA Phoenix Mercury

Leslie, Sparks Outlast Mercury 95-85

by Andrew Nordmeier
Published on July 15, 2006 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Phoenix Mercury


Lisa Leslie scored 30 points and added 12 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Sparks to a 95-85 win over the Phoenix Mercury Friday night at the US Airways Center.

"It's always tough to win on the road, " Sparks Head Coach Joe Bryant said, "but as I tell our players, ‘Whether it's an outhouse, penthouse or whatever, you've just got to play ball and win on any court'."

Phoenix (8-11) fell behind in the first half and trailed by seven points after a quarter and ten at halftime. Mercury All-Star Guard Diana Taurasi had five points and fellow All-Star Cappie Pondexter was limited to three points in the opening 20 minutes.

Phoenix came back on the strength of a Herculean effort from Taurasi. She scored 22 points in the third quarter including three three-pointers to give Phoenix a lead at 64-63. Unfortunately, they didn't have enough gas in the tank to sustain the play in the fourth and the Sparks (17-5) sealed another win, their-league best 17th.

"When Taurasi got hot, it was like getting a left hook from Joe Frazier," Bryant said, "It could have knocked us out but we stood and fought hard."

Chamique Holdsclaw added 22 points for the Sparks and Lisa Willis chipped in 13 off the bench. After Taurasi's game-high 34 points, Pondexter, Kamila Vodichkova and Penny Taylor each added 12 in the losing effort.

Phoenix doesn't have much time to get back on track as the New York Liberty comes in Sunday afternoon. Phoenix beat the Liberty last Sunday 94-88 in overtime in Madison Square Garden.

"We have to win that game. That's the way to get that sour taste out of our mouth," Taurasi said, "Sunday is really going to test our character."

Notes: The 33 points Phoenix scored in the third quarter was a season high, besting the 29 they hung on Sacramento on June 6th...Taurasi scored 29 of her game-high 34 points in the second half...Phoenix has scored more than 80 points in 14 of 19 games this season...Los Angeles is 15-0 when leading at the half...The Sparks won the battle in the lane outscoring Phoenix 40-20 in the paint. ..Phoenix lost its seventh game by 10 or more points...Attendance was 8,616.

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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from July 15, 2006


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