Diana Taurasi scores career playoff high as Phoenix Mercury even WNBA playoff series against Las Vegas Aces
The Phoenix Mercury spun a 16-point halftime lead Thursday night into a 117-91 win over the Las Vegas Aces, evening their WNBA playoff best-of-5 semifinal series at 1-1.
Behind their Big Three of Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi and Skylar Diggins-Smith, the Mercury exploded for a league postseason record 68 points in the first half at Michelob Ultra Arena. Las Vegas scored 52 and the combined 120 also was a playoff record in this the league's 25th season.
The Mercury still were shooting 65.3 percent and leading 98-78 after the third quarter, turning back every comeback attempt by the Aces at Michelob Ultra Arena.
Games 3-4 will be played in Phoenix with Game 5 if necessary back in Las Vegas.
By earning a road split, the Mercury go home in better shape than in the 2018 semifinals when they trailed Seattle 2-0. They are seeking their first WNBA Finals berth since 2014 when they won their third championship.
WNBA career scoring leader Taurasi hit a 3-pointer and made three free throws in the third quarter after the Aces closed within 12 (72-60).
Early in the fourth quarter, Taurasi made three 3-pointers, putting the Mercury over the century mark on the way to 37 points, her career playoff scoring high and five short of the WNBA playoff record. She had an overall career high with eight 3-pointers (8-of-11).
Griner had a second high scoring game against the Aces with 25 points. Diggins-Smith scored 17 and Kia Nurse and Shey Peddy 11 each.
Six Aces scoring in double figures led by Kelsey Plum with 25.
Las Vegas won Game 1, 96-90, and lead 3-2 overall this season against the Mercury.
Mercury shoot 76.5 percent in first half
The Mercury's stunning first half, from an 11-2 lead at the outset to 68-52 at halftime, was built on 76.5 percent overall shooting (26-of-34) and 70 percent (7-of-10) from 3-point.
After their highest scoring quarter of the season for a 37-20 lead at the end of the first, the Mercury followed up with 31 in the second to turn back the Aces twice when they cut the lead to 12 (52-40) then 10 (58-48).
Olympic gold medalists Griner, Taurasi and Diggins-Smith combined for 48 first-half points and Peddy added eight off the bench.
The Mercury led 17-6 in first half rebounding but committed eight turnovers to just one for the Aces, who capitalized on the live ball errors to stay afloat against Phoenix's offensive barrage.
The Aces shot 54.8 percent (23-of-42) in the first half led by Williams with 11. Liz Cambage had nine points in 10 minutes off the bench.
Plum wins Sixth Woman of Year
Plum was a runaway winner in WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year voting. She received 41 of 49 votes. Her teammate Dearica Hamby, who won the award in 2019 and 2020, was second with five votes.
Plum had eight games with at least 20 points, the most by a reserve in league history. She scored 30 twice, tying a league record for a reserve. She averaged a career high 14.8 points, 3.6 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 28.3 minutes.
Also Thursday, Aces General Manager Dan Padover was named 2021 WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year for a second straight year ahead of Minnesota's Cheryl Reeve and New York's Jonathan Kolb. Voting for that award was done by one basketball executive from each team.
Up next
Game 3 will played at noon Sunday at Arizona State's Desert Financial Arena. Game 4 also is in metro Phoenix on Oct. 6 at a site to be announced. Game 5 if necessary would be played in Las Vegas.