Mercury Defeats Sparks

Rookie Diana Taurasi scored 21 points, helping the Phoenix Mercury beat the best team in the WNBA and end an 18-game losing streak against the Sparks.

Penny Taylor and Anna DeForge added 17 points apiece for Phoenix in a 72-58 win over the Sparks on Wednesday night in Phoenix.

Taurasi added eight assists and six rebounds to lead the Mercury to its fourth straight win and first against the Sparks since July 17, 1999.

“Anytime you can beat L.A., it’s a huge win,” Phoenix Coach Carrie Graf said. “They are such a talented team.”

But it was a short-handed team. The Sparks had two starters out, had two rookies in the starting lineup and only eight players available for the game.

Lisa Leslie had 20 points and 14 rebounds, her league-leading 16th double-double, for the Sparks, who have the best record in the WNBA (21-8).

The Sparks, which had won 13 of 14 games, ended its seven-game winning streak. Phoenix (16-13) moved into a tie with Minnesota for third place in the Western Conference, five games behind the first-place Sparks.

The Sparks played without starting guard Tamecka Dixon, who averages 9.6 points. She served a one-game suspension for shoving Seattle’s Betty Lennox in the face Sept. 3. Mwadi Mabika, the team’s second-leading scorer, missed her second game in a row with an injury.

The Mercury, winner of eight of nine, held the Sparks to 34.6% shooting. The Sparks committed 19 turnovers.

“Obviously, the turnovers were a factor,” Leslie said. “I thought they shot the ball really well. They have a nice triple threat out on the perimeter.”

Charlotte 72, Minnesota 68 -- Charlotte Smith-Taylor and Allison Feaster each scored 17 points, leading the Sting to a victory in Minneapolis.

Dawn Staley added 10 assists and made two key free throws in the final seconds to help the Sting hold off a late charge by the Lynx and move into a tie for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Sting (14-15) is a game out of first place with five games remaining in the tight Eastern race.

Nicole Ohlde led Minnesota (16-13) with 19 points and eight rebounds.

Seattle 86, Detroit 67 -- Lauren Jackson returned from a three-game absence and scored 15 points, helping the Storm end a three-game losing streak with a victory at home.

Jackson, the league MVP who had been on the injured list with a right foot sprain, was activated before the game.

Sue Bird led the Storm (18-11) with 23 points on eight-for-nine shooting.

Cheryl Ford led Detroit (14-16) with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

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Washington Mystic forward Chamique Holdsclaw will miss the rest of the season because of an undisclosed medical problem, but said her condition won’t threaten her life or career.

Holdsclaw, the league’s third-leading scorer at 19 points a game, has missed the last six games and has declined to discuss the reason for her absence. She missed the WNBA All-Star Game and the Olympics.

“For reasons that are deeply personal, I find myself unable to provide a more detailed explanation at this time,” she said in a statement.