The first- and last-place teams in the West — Phoenix and Sacramento — resumed following the WNBA All-Star break with games in the East. The Mercury kept winning — 94-88 at New York — while the Monarchs continue losing — 87-73 at Washington.
Diana Taurasi came back from a two-game suspension to score 34 points and haul 13 rebounds for Phoenix.
New York led 24-14 after one, then 47-42 at the half. Phoenix won the second half 52-41. In seven of Phoenix’s last eight wins, they scored more points in the second half than in the first.
Phoenix coach Corey Gaines said preseason that he encouraged opposing teams to try to keep up with the Mercury because he believed they would wear opponents out at the end.
In their last 10 games, Phoenix is 8-2 straight up and against the spread with 9-1 over/under.
In those eight wins, the Mercury won the second half seven times. In the fourth quarter, Phoenix won five, lost two, tied one — in one of the games where Phoenix lost the fourth quarter, they ran away in the overtime period.
Conversely, bettors looking for an edge needn’t look further than “second half goes against the Monarchs”. A five-point underdog in Washington, Sacramento got within seven points several times in the second half, and was once within five — 74-69 with 3:46 remaining — but center Chasity Melvin scored four straight points for the Mystics. The Mystics won the third quarter 20-18 and the fourth 22-19.
All-Star Nicole Powell was limited to 11 points with 1-of-5 three-point shooting. Crystal Langhorne led Washington with 19 points and 8 rebounds.
The Monarchs are 3-7 straight up in their last 10 games. In those seven losses, Sacramento has lost the second half all seven times. By quarters, the Monarchs have won a third or fourth quarter 3 times out of 14.
In their three wins from the last 10, the Monarchs won the second half each time. By quarters, winning five out of six. Since John Whisenant resumed his seat as head coach, the Monarchs are 1-5, where they have scored 20+ points in three of 12 second-half segments — against Phoenix, they lost two by identical 26-21 scores; against New York, Sacramento won the fourth quarter 24-16, and that was the only game Whisenant has won since his return.
