When you have games like this you just enjoy them and you feel a lot better when you come out with a win." I've been hurt a lot, but they've always seemed to carry the load. These two (Griner and Diggins-Smith) have been unbelievable all year. "As you get older, that's when you've really got to lock in and lean on your experiences you've had in this league for a long time. “Obviously when shots are going in, BG is playing the way she is and Skylar is attacking, it makes the game a little bit easier for you. “We brought a different mindset to the game,” Taurasi said. Her 3-pointer followed by three free throws after being fouled by Jackie Young on a trey attempt when the Mercury led by 12 in the third essentially ended the Aces’ comeback aspiration. Taurasi was up to 17 by halftime and 28 after the third quarter. ![]() ![]() Mercury center Griner and Diggins-Smith fueled the fast start with 16 and eight first-quarter points. “They played harder than us and wanted it more than us. ![]() I told anybody that would listen that Taurasi would try to take over the game and will them to win, and she did. “We’re not as experienced as we need to be to not play well and still pull it out against a team that’s pretty talented,” Laimbeer said. Unless you’re Laimbeer and the Aces, who won 96-90 in Game 1 but by their own admission came out for Game 2 with less than the requisite energy needed against a veteran team fueled with the urgency to avoid an 0-2 playoff hole. “I’ve seen many great games from Diana, but none as big as this one in the situation where she hasn’t been able to train and is not 100 percent,” eighth-year Mercury coach Sandy Brondello said. The Mercury had a league playoff record 68 at halftime to lead by 16 and nearly reached the century mark in the third quarter, leading 98-78.Īs if that wasn’t enough firepower, Taurasi made three 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter for a playoff career high of eight (8-of-11) before calling it a night after 27 action-packed minutes. Olympic gold medalists Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith combined for 79 points. Las Vegas did enough offensively to pull within 10 points (58-48) in the second quarter and 12 (72-60) in the third but never had a defensive answer for the Mercury’s Big Three. The Mercury carved the Aces up from the outset with a 37-point first quarter for a 17-point lead. ![]() She’s scored 14, 20 and now 37 (three more than her previous playoff high) since returning, reinforcing Aces coach Bill Laimbeer’s assessment after Game 1 that healthy or not Taurasi will “cut your heart out” if given the chance. Taurasi missed five games with an ankle injury late in the regular season and in a playoff first round elimination game. Games 3-4 will be played Sunday and Wednesday in metro Phoenix then Game 5 if necessary back in Las Vegas. 5-seeded Mercury took home court advantage away from the No. With a split at Michelob Ultra Arena, the No. She eclipsed her career playoff scoring high with 37 points Thursday night, just five off the league’s postseason record, in a 117-91 win over the Las Vegas Aces. Watch Video: Phoenix Mercury guard Diana TaurasiĪt 39, in her 17th WNBA season, Diana Taurasi remains the gift that keeps on giving for the Phoenix Mercury.
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