LAS VEGAS (AP) — Napheesa Collier scored 23 points, Courtney Williams added a season-high 22 and the Minnesota Lynx raced past the Las Vegas Aces 98-87 on Wednesday night.
Minnesota scorched the two-time defending champions at home for the second time this season, winning its June game in Las Vegas 100-86.
The Lynx shot 55.2% in the first win, 59.4% in this one with Williams, who also had 10 assists and seven rebounds, providing the clincher. Las Vegas cut a 15-point deficit with 4:40 to play to 93-85 on a layup by Jackie Young with 1:37 left. Williams then drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing.
Bridget Carleton added 12 points, Kayla McBride had 11 and Alanna Smith 10, giving the Lynx (20-8) five starters in double figures for just the second time, the first coming in the other win over the Aces. Myisha Hines-Allen, acquired in a trade on Tuesday, had eight points off the bench.
DREAM 72, MERCURY 63
COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Tina Charles became the second all-time leading scorer in WNBA history while posting 12 points and 17 rebounds, and Atlanta defeated Phoenix.
Allisha Gray had 21 points and Rhyne Howard 19 to lead the Dream (10-17), who won their season-best third straight after going into the Olympic break on an eight-game losing streak.
Charles, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft out of UConn, opened the fourth-quarter scoring with a 3-pointer from the top of the key that moved her past Tina Thompson’s 7,488 points. Charles’ 7,491 points are more than 3,000 behind Diana Taurasi (10,500), who was held to a late 3-pointer in this game.
Charles’ basket broke a 48-48 tie and started a 17-2 run that broke the game open. Reserve Maya Caldwell had all six of her points following Charles’ 3.
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