PHOENIX (AP) — Elena Delle Donne scored 24 points on her 34th birthday, Natasha Cloud added 20 and 10 assists, and the Washington Mystics clinched a playoff spot with a 100-77 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday night.
Washington (18-20) moved a half-game ahead of Atlanta for sixth in the standings. The Mystics host the Dream on Friday before closing out the season at New York on Sunday.
Brittney Sykes added 18 points, and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough had 17 points for Washington. The Mystics announced earlier on Tuesday that guard Kristi Toliver will miss the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL.
Washington led 50-33 at halftime after shooting 56% from the field. Delle Donne had 16 points, on 6-of-8 shooting, and Sykes added 13 points.
Michaela Onyenwere scored 19 points and Brittney Griner added 16 points for Phoenix (9-29). The Mercury were without Diana Taurasi (left toe) and Sophie Cunningham (jaw).
Griner passed former Minnesota star Maya Moore to become the 24th player in WNBA history to reach 5,000 career points.
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