Griner, Mercury cruise to win over Sky
Jun 8, 2018, 10:36 PM
Phoenix Mercury's Brittney Griner, left, watches practice with teammate Diana Taurasi on Thursday, May 10, 2018, in Phoenix. Griner, the 2017 WNBA scoring champion, is back from Russia and ready her upcoming season with the Mercury.(AP Photo/Matt York)
(AP Photo/Matt York)
PHOENIX — Brittney Griner scored 24 points and Diana Taurasi had 18 points and seven assists to help the Phoenix Mercury beat the Chicago Sky 96-79 on Friday night.
DeWanna Bonner added 13 points, Sancho Lyttle had 12, and Briann January 11 for Phoenix. The Mercury (6-4) have won four in a row following a three-game skid.
Griner scored six points during a 10-4 run to open the game and Phoenix never trailed. January hit a 3-pointer and Stephanie Talbot made back-to-back 3s before a turn-around jumper by Griner capped an 11-0 run and made it 25-10 early in the second quarter.
Jamierra Faulkner made a running scoop shot in the lane as time expired in the third quarter and then hit a 3-pointer to open the scoring in the fourth and pull to trim Chicago’s deficit to 72-65, but the Sky would get no closer.
Gabby Williams, the fourth overall pick this year, had a season-high 26 points to lead Chicago (3-4).
Phoenix shot 55 percent from the field, including 9 of 20 from 3-point range, and hit 13 of 14 free throws.
