Bonner Secures Mercury Win
DeWanna Bonner leads injury-hit Phoenix Mercury to 78-72 victory over Portland Fire
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DeWanna Bonner scored a season-high 19 points, grabbed five rebounds, dished five assists, and swatted three shots as the short-handed Phoenix Mercury survived a late Portland push to win 78-72 on Friday night AP. The win moves Phoenix to 4-8, snapping what had been a brutal stretch of losses and keeping the team alive in the playoff hunt.
Phoenix played without two of its best players. Alyssa Thomas missed the game with a left calf injury, and Kahleah Copper sat out with a left hip issue Daily Gazette. Despite those absences, Bonner and the Mercury found a way to hold off a Portland Fire team that made things very uncomfortable in the final minutes.
Bonner and Mack Carry the Short-Handed Mercury
Bonner was the clear leader all night. The 38-year-old veteran finished a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line in the closing minutes, helping Phoenix seal the result Newsday. She has now played 17 seasons in the WNBA and showed no signs of slowing down.
Natasha Mack was just as important inside. She finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, her second straight strong game after posting a career-high 16 points against Seattle AP. Jovana Nogic also stepped up, recording a team-high six assists and hitting the go-ahead basket with 2:46 left to give Phoenix a 68-67 lead San Mateo Daily Journal.
Free Throws and Turnovers Decide the Final Margin
Phoenix shot 86.4 percent from the free-throw line, going 19-of-22 overall and 10-of-12 in the final three minutes Newsday. Those late free throws were the difference. Portland had chances but couldn't close the gap.
Portland also hurt itself badly with 20 turnovers Houston Chronicle. Phoenix turned those mistakes into transition baskets and extra possessions. For a new expansion team, those kinds of errors are hard to overcome against veteran opponents.
Portland's Expansion Stars Shine but Fall Short
The Portland Fire, back in the WNBA after a 24-year absence, put up a real fight CBS Sports. Guard Sarah Ashlee Barker led the team with 15 points and seven rebounds. Karlie Samuelson added 13 points and hit four of her first four three-point attempts.
Portland entered the game at 6-6 and had set an expansion home-opener attendance record of 19,335 fans earlier this season KATU News. The Moda Center was again packed near capacity Friday. Head coach Alex Sarama had flagged perimeter defense as a key priority, saying: "It all came down to defending the 3-point line... we'll be ready." It wasn't quite enough.
Mercury's Win Ends Skid, Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive
Just days earlier, Phoenix had lost six straight games, including a 111-77 blowout to Minnesota on June 1 StatMuse. The team snapped that skid with a 72-68 win in Seattle on June 3, and now has back-to-back road wins heading into the rest of their trip.
Head coach Nate Tibbetts kept his praise measured but honest. "When you're searching for one, you'll take it however you can get it," he said. "Just a very gutty win to start a road trip" WNBA.com. Phoenix now sits seventh in the standings, tied with Seattle, and still within reach of a playoff spot if Thomas and Copper can return healthy.
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