Fever snap 16-game losing streak against Aces with 81-54 win
The Fever turned in another dominant defensive performance. After winning the Commissioner's Cup against league-leading Minnesota 74-59 on Tuesday and holding the Lynx to a season low in points, the Fever held the Aces to 26% shooting and their lowest total of the season. Las Vegas was also slowed by 17 turnovers.
Natasha Howard, MVP of the Commissioner's Cup, had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Fever (9-8), who shot 49%. Clark was sidelined for a fourth straight game due to a strained left groin.
A'ja Wilson scored 29 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field and 11 for 13 from the foul line for the Aces (8-9). The rest of the Aces were 7 of 43 (16%) and no player scored more than six points.
The Fever dominated the first half and closed with a 25-7 run for a 46-24 lead at the break. Indiana shot 64% — missing just two shots in the second quarter — and had 13 assists on 18 baskets, with a 28-10 advantage on points in the paint.
The Aces shot 26% and after A'ja Wilson's 6-for-13 shooting, the rest of the team was 2 of 18 (11%). They also had 10 turnovers.
LIBERTY 89, SPARKS 79
NEW YORK (AP) — Natasha Cloud scored 11 of her 23 points in the third quarter and sparked a huge run to lead New York to a victory over Los Angeles.
Breanna Stewart added 17 points and 14 rebounds and Sabrina Ionescu had 20 points for New York (12-5).
The defending champion Liberty trailed 53-42 midway through the third before Cloud and Ionescu got going. Cloud's three-point play sparked a 13-0 run and then Ionescu scored 10 straight points for New York to give the Liberty a 63-59 advantage.
New York extended its lead to 69-59 by the end of the period. Los Angeles (5-13) cut it to five with 3:30 left before Leonie Fiebich hit a 3-pointer to seal the win.
Dearica Hamby scored 25 points to lead Los Angeles, which got a boost with the return of Rae Burrell. She saw her first action since injuring her knee in the opener. She checked in late in the first quarter and played 12 minutes, finishing with five points.
The game also marked the debut of Julie Vanloo, whom the Sparks picked up off waivers two hours before tip-off. She came in early in the second quarter and played two minutes.
STORM 80, DREAM 79
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Nneka Ogwumike scored 24 points and moved into seventh on the WNBA's career scoring list, Skylar Diggins drove for the decisive layup with 3.4 seconds left, and Seattle beat Atlanta.
Erica Wheeler had 21 points for Seattle (11-7). Diggins and Gabby Williams each added 11.
Ogwumike converted a three-point play, Naz Hillmon scored on the other end, and Ogwumike hit a midrange jumper to get the Storm within 77-75 with a minute to play. Atlanta's Jordin Canada made two free throws to make it a two-possession game with 51 seconds left and Ogwumike missed a 3-pointer, but Diggins grabbed the offensive rebound and Wheeler hit a contested 3 to make it 79-78 with 32.1 seconds remaining. Maya Caldwell missed a 3 to set up Diggins' basket.
Canada scored a career-high 25 points for Atlanta (11-7), and Brionna Jones had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Allisha Gray finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Ogwumike has 6,815 career points and moved past Cappie Pondexter (6,811) and Sue Bird (6,803).
LYNX 92, MYSTICS 75
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Napheesa Collier scored 28 points, Courtney Williams had 10 points, six rebounds, eight assists and five steals and Minnesota beat Washington for its third straight regular-season victory.
Minnesota bounced back from its 74-59 loss to Indiana on Tuesday in the Commissioner's Cup final that did not count in the standings.
Collier, who was scoreless in the first quarter, scored the last seven points of a 12-2 run to begin the second half for a 55-40 lead. Minnesota outscored the Mystics 27-14 in the third for a 70-52 lead.
Collier was 11 of 21 from the field and finished with 25 or more points for the eighth time this season.
Alanna Smith and Kayla McBride each added 10 points for Minnesota (15-2). The Lynx scored 28 points off 20 Washington turnovers.
Rookie Lucy Olsen came off the bench and scored a season-high 19 points for Washington (8-10). Aaliyah Edwards added a season-high 15 points and Shakira Austin scored 10. Brittney Sykes, averaging a team-high 18.6 points, went 2 of 9 from the field and finished with seven points.
WINGS 98, MERCURY 89
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Aziaha James scored 20 of her 28 points in the first half, Paige Bueckers added 23 and Dallas started four rookies in a victory over Phoenix.
JJ Quinerly added a career-high of 17 points for the Wings (6-13), winners of five of their last seven games. The fourth rookie starter, Luisa Geiselsoder, scored four points. Second-year player Li Yueru shot 10 for 12 from the line and added 12 points and 11 rebounds.
James hit five 3-pointers and had six rebounds and six assists.
Kahleah Copper led Phoenix (12-6) with 33 points for the 11th 30-point game of her career. Satou Sabally added 20 points and Monique Akoa Makani 14. The Mercury have lost consecutive games after six-game winning streak.
The Wings made 10 of 13 shots, with three 3s, and were perfect on nine shots from the line on the way to 32-20 lead after one quarter.
James had 13 points in the second quarter and easily passed her previous career high of 17 points. Dallas finished its best half of the season with a 61-43 lead. Bueckers had 14 points as the Wings shot 7 for 13 from long distance and 61% overall and added 14-for-15 shooting from the line.
Phoenix shot 37%, going 3 for 14 from beyond the arc, but was helped by hitting 14 of 16 shots from the line.
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