SAN ANTONIO – Penny Taylor scored 30 points and Candice Dupree had 20 points and 13 rebounds to help the Phoenix Mercury beat the San Antonio Silver Stars 105-98 on Tuesday night.
Kara Braxton added 15 points and Temeka Johnson had 14 as the Mercury (2-3), who have won consecutive games. Phoenix overcame an off night from star guard Diana Taurasi, who shot 2 for 13 and finished with seven points — 16 below her league-leading average.
Becky Hammon had 28 points and seven assists to lead the Silver Stars (4-1), who were the WNBA's last undefeated team. Rookie forward Danielle Adams scored 22 points and Jia Perkins added 15 for San Antonio, which without leading scorer Sophia Young (illness).
Phoenix led by 17 with 4½ minutes to go before San Antonio rallied. Hammon's fifth 3-pointer of the game pulled the Silver Stars to 103-98 with under 21 seconds to go. However, the Mercury shot 6 for 6 from the line in the final minute to secure the win.
The Mercury shot 51 percent from the field (39 for 77) against one of the league's top defenses. It was the first time this season San Antonio let an opponent shoot 50 percent.
Phoenix jumped out to a 14-4 lead in the first quarter before the Silver Stars rallied to tie the game at the end of the quarter. The Mercury, though, quickly regrouped in the second quarter and led 52-43 at halftime.
Taurasi, who has been the league's top scorer each of the last three seasons, didn't score until there was 3:50 remaining in the first half. Immediately after she hit a tightly contested jumper, she drew a technical foul for arguing a non-call.
It didn't take Taurasi nearly as long to get going in the second half. She hit a 3-pointer 1:25 into the third quarter to put the Mercury up 57-45, drawing a quick timeout from the Silver Stars.
It was the teams' second meeting in five days. The Silver Stars rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat the Mercury 101-99 on Friday in Phoenix.
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