WNBA: Taurasi, Mercury cruise past Monarchs

The Associated Press

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PHOENIX — Diana Taurasi scored 22 points and Cappie Pondexter had a franchise-record 15 assists to lead the Phoenix Mercury past the Sacramento Monarchs 100-81 on Wednesday.

DeWanna Bonner had 15 points, Kelly Mazzante added 14, Le'Coe Willingham and Temeka Johnson had 13 apiece, and Pondexter 12 for the Mercury (11-4), who have won five straight — their longest streak since a six-game run in 2007.

Nicole Powell scored 23 points, Courtney Paris had 14 points and nine rebounds for the Monarchs (3-11), who lost for the ninth time in 11 games.

Sacramento, playing its first game since firing Jenny Boucek as coach and replacing her with general manager John Whisenant, has lost three of four against the Mercury this season.

• INDIANA 84, CHICAGO 74, at Indianapolis — Tammy Sutton-Brown scored 22 points and Tamika Catchings did a little bit of everything to help the Indiana Fever defeat the Chicago Sky on Wednesday for their 10th straight win.

Catchings, the top vote-getter for the All-Star game, had 16 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and six steals. Ebony Hoffman scored 18 points and All-Star Katie Douglas added 13 points and eight assists for the Fever (10-2).

• SAN ANTONIO 79, WASHINGTON 78, at Washington — Becky Hammon scored 21 points and Sophia Young had 20 to help San Antonio hold off Washington.

The Silver Stars (6-6) nearly blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and gave the Mystics a chance to win when Hammon committed an offensive foul with 3 seconds. Washington tried to set up for the winning shot, but Lindsey Harding's inbounds pass was stolen by Belinda Snell to seal the game.

• ATLANTA 91, MINNESOTA 77, at Minneapolis — Chamique Holdsclaw tied her season high with 28 points and Iziane Castro Marques added 20 to lead Atlanta to its second road win of the season.

Atlanta started the game with a 13-2 run, taking an early first-quarter lead that it never relinquished.

• DETROIT 66, SEATTLE 63, at Seattle — Katie Smith scored 19 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:01 left, to lift Detroit over Seattle.

Smith scored 16 points in the second half for the defending champion Shock (4-8), who won their second straight road game.