Mercury-Liberty preview
The two highest-scoring players in the WNBA will meet when the Phoenix Mercury play at the New York Liberty on Sunday. New York forward Tina Charles is having an MVP-like season, averaging a league-best 22.0 points per game, to go along with team-high averages of 10.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists. The Liberty (10-4) lead the Eastern Conference. "We're playing great as a team," Charles told the MSG Networks. "More importantly, we're falling in love with the process of winning. For us, it's about playing team ball ... everybody on this team is being a star within their role. I think it's really sweet with what we're doing." The Mercury haven't been as successful, entering the game at Madison Square Garden with a 5-9 mark, but guard Diana Taurasi is still at the top of her game in her 12th WNBA season. Taurasi scored 27 points in a 91-79 victory at the Washington Mystics on Friday night, becoming the fastest player in league history to reach 7,000 points. Taurasi, who has 7,006 points, upped her season average to 20.3, trailing only Charles. Center Brittney Griner added 22 points in Friday night's win, making 10 of 15 shots from the field. The Mercury can score, averaging a league-high 87.1 points per game, but they allow a league-worst 88.4, which has been a significant factor in a so-far disappointing season. New York, meanwhile, has been one of hottest teams in the league, winning six games in a row, its longest winning streak since 2010. This marks the first time the Liberty have been 10-4 since 2001. Charles has 10 double-doubles in 14 games and has scored more than 20 in six consecutive games. While wearing a face mask to protect a broken nose, she had 21 points and 13 rebounds in Friday night's 80-79 win over the visiting Chicago Sky. Liberty guard Rebecca Allen made her 2016 debut Friday. She scored eight points and made both of her 3-point attempts in 12 minutes. Allen played in just two games last season before suffering a knee injury, and she had been training with an Australian team until joining the Liberty this week. |