Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) looks to drive past Minnesota Lynx guard Seimone Augustus (33) in the second half of a WNBA basketball game, Wednesday, July 13, 2011, in Minneapolis. Phoenix defeated Minnesota 112-105. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs) â€" AP
Minnesota Lynx guard Seimone Augustus (33) goes up for shot against Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) in the first half of a WNBA Basketball game, Wednesday, July 13, 2011, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs) â€" AP
Minnesota Lynx guard Alexis Hornbuckle (14) drives past Phoenix Mercury guard Marie Ferdinand-Harris in the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Wednesday, July 13, 2011, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs) â€" AP
Minnesota Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen, right, looks to pass the ball as Phoenix Mercury's Temeka Johnson (2) guards her in the first half of a WNBA basketball game on Wednesday, July 13, 2011, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs) â€" AP
Phoenix Mercury forward Candice Dupree (4) takes a shot in front of Minnesota Lynx center Jessica Adair in the second half of a WNBA Basketball game, Wednesday, July 13, 2011, in Minneapolis. Mercury won 112-105. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs) â€" AP
Phoenix Mercury guard Marie Ferdinand-Harris (9) fights for the rebound against Minnesota Lynx forward Rebekkah Brunson in the second half of a WNBA basketball game, Wednesday, July 13, 2011, in Minneapolis. Phoenix defeated Minnesota 112-105. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs) â€" AP
MINNEAPOLIS â€" Diana Taurasi scored 27 points, including five 3-pointers, to rally the Phoenix Mercury past the Minnesota Lynx 112-105 Wednesday and take sole possession of first place in the Western Conference.
Reserve DeWanna Bonner had 24 points for Phoenix, which won its fifth straight game and nine of 10 after beginning the season with three consecutive losses.
Penny Taylor added 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Mercury (9-4). She scored 14 in the fourth quarter to help Phoenix overcame an 11-point deficit. Candice Dupree also had 19 points and eight rebounds for the Mercury, which overtook the Lynx (7-4) in the standings.
Minnesota led 103-102 on a layup by Lindsay Whalen. Taylor then stole the ball from Seimone Augustus, was fouled and made two free throws. Taurasi added three free throws to give Phoenix a 107-103 lead.
Augustus led the Lynx with 22 points. Whalen added 19 points and Rebekkah Brunson scored 16 points and had 16 rebounds. Rookie Maya Moore had 15 points on 6 for 18 shooting from the field.
With thousands of kids in the arena for the Lynx's annual "camp day," Minnesota had a sluggish start and couldn't keep up with the running Mercury.
Phoenix hit its first five shots en route to a 12-2 lead. Meanwhile, the Lynx missed five of their first six shots, allowing the Mercury to lead by as many as 13 in the first quarter.
Minnesota chipped away and closed the gap to 27-21 by the end of the quarter. The Lynx led 49-48 at halftime.
Featuring two of the top three scoring teams in the league, it lived up to its offensive billing. The output was reminiscent of last July, when Phoenix outlasted the Lynx 127-124 in double-overtime in the highest-scoring game in WNBA history.
The Associated Press
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