Mercury fall to 2-6 with loss to Lynx

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sylvia Fowles and Maya Moore scored 21 points apiece as the Minnesota Lynx overcame a poor shooting first half to beat the Phoenix Mercury 89-81 on Tuesday night.

Minnesota (8-0) is off to its best start to a season since going 10-0 in 2012. It’s the third best start in WNBA history.

Brittney Griner pulled Phoenix to 78-75 with 2:39 remaining but Rebekkah Brunson made a layup in traffic and Renee Montgomery hit a wide open 3-pointer to extend Minnesota’s lead to 83-75.

Montgomery finished with 18 points and Brunson added 12 — all in the second half — for Minnesota, which is ranked No. 1 in the AP WNBA power poll. Seimone Augustus suffered a head injury in the third quarter and did not return.

Fowles took control of the paint after Griner picked up her fifth foul with 1:07 left in the third. Fowles had back-to-back 3-point plays to give Minnesota a 70-67 lead — its first since 18-17. She started a string of five straight Minnesota possessions with a basket as the Lynx went on a 14-2 run for a 76-67 lead.

Griner and DeWanna Bonner each scored 14 for 10th-seeded Phoenix (2-6).

Minnesota trailed at halftime for the first time this season, 38-32, after shooting 10 for 38 (26 percent) from the field.