LOS ANGELES (AP) — Brittney Griner scored 14 points before being ejected after a scuffle, Natasha Cloud had 13 points and 12 assists, and the Phoenix Mercury beat the Los Angeles Sparks 85-81 on Tuesday night.
Griner and Sparks standout rookie Rickea Jackson were thrown out after exchanging shoves while in rebounding position following a Mercury free throw in the closing seconds of the first half. The Mercury, who found out before the game they would play second-seeded Minnesota when the playoffs open on Sunday, trailed by eight at halftime but took control in the third quarter.
Sophia Cunningham also scored 14 points for the Mercury (19-20). Diana Taurasi added 13 and Mikiah Herbert-Harrigan had 10.
Dearica Hamba had 21 points for the last-place Sparks (7-32), who lost their eighth straight in an injury-plagued season. Li Yueru scored a career-high 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Kia Nurse had 10 points.
Phoenix turned 20 turnovers into 31 points to offset a 49-25 rebounding deficit.
Natasha Mack’s three-point play had the Mercury up 71-56 with 7:32 to play but the Sparks reeled off 10 straight points, pulling within five on Hamby’s layup with five minutes to go.
Cunningham pushed the lead to 13 with a 3-pointer with 3:44 left but Hamby hit a 3 that made it 79-74 with two minutes to play. Herbert-Harrigan ended that threat with a 3 and the Mercury closed it out.
The game was tied at 14 after one quarter before the Sparks raced to a 44-36 lead at the half.
It was after Celeste Taylor made a free throw for Phoenix, cutting the lead to 43-36, that Griner and Jackson got tangled up, exchanged words and shoves and appeared ready for more before others intervened. After review, both players were ejected and L.A.’s Crystal Dangerfield and Cunningham were given technical fouls.
Griner was 7 of 8 for 14 points in 14 minutes and Jackson played all but those last 18.8 seconds and was 2 of 11 with four free throws.
Phoenix scored the first seven points of the second half, tied the game at 46 on Taurasi’s 3-pointer and took the lead for good on her free throw as she started her own run of five straight points that made it 53-48.
The Mercury led by as many as 14 and took a 64-54 lead into the fourth quarter after outscoring the Sparks 28-10. Phoenix was 9 of 18 in the quarter to 4 of 18 for the Sparks, who had nine turnovers.
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