NEW YORK (AP) — Breanna Stewart had 22 points and 12 rebounds to help the New York Liberty rally to beat the Atlanta Dream 81-75 on Sunday.
New York, which was down 16 in the first half, led 60-59 heading into the fourth quarter. The Liberty (16-3) scored the first 10 points of the period, started on a free throw by Stewart. The Dream, who were coming off a win at Connecticut on Friday night, cut it to 70-67 before back-to-back 3s by Sabrina Ionescu and Leonie Fiebich put the game away.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton added 18 points for New York.
Stewart scored her 5,000th career point, becoming the fastest player to reach that milestone doing it in her 242nd game. Diana Taurasi, the all-time leading scorer in WNBA history, did it in 243.
Allisha Gray had 24 points and Tina Charles added 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Dream (7-10). This was a homecoming for Charles, who grew up in New York and played for the Liberty from 2014-19. She received a warm ovation from the crowd when she was introduced pregame.
New York put Courtney Vandersloot back in the starting lineup for the first time since she spent a few weeks away to be with her mom before she passed away from cancer. The guard left the team at the beginning of the month and then played in her first game since June 4 in the Commissioner’s Cup final last Tuesday.
FEVER 88, MERCURY 82
PHOENIX (AP) — Caitlin Clark had 15 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds and Indiana rallied for a victory over Phoenix.
Clark was just 4 of 14 from the field, and 2 of 10 from 3-point range. But she made a pair of free throws with 19.9 seconds to play to put the Fever up three. Indiana had trailed by as many as 15 in the first half.
Kelsey Mitchell’s basket with 35 seconds to play gave Indiana the lead for good. She made two free throws with 12.9 seconds to go to seal it.
Aliyah Boston had 17 points and eight rebounds and NaLyssa Smith had 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Fever, who closed out June 7-4 after going 1-8 in May. Temi Fagbenle had 10 points for Indiana.
Brittney Griner scored 24 points, Diana Taurasi had 19 and Natasha Cloud score 15 for Phoenix.
Kahleah Copper, who entered Sunday third in the WNBA at 22.7 points per game, scored just seven points on 3-of-15 shooting before fouling out in the final seconds, but had most of the responsibility of guarding Clark.
LYNX 70, SKY 62
CHICAGO (AP) — Kayla McBride scored 16 points, Napheesa Collier had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Minnesota spoiled a record-setting day from Chicago rookie Angel Reese, rallying for a victory.
Reese broke a WNBA single-season record with her 10th straight double-double, finishing with 10 points and 16 rebounds. Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks set the previous record in 2015.
McBride made two 3-pointers and added five rebounds and five assists for the Western Conference-leading Lynx (14-4), who were coming off a 94-88 loss at last-place Dallas that ended their seven-game winning streak.
Collier had six assists while recording her 11th double-double of the season. Alanna Smith had 11 points and seven rebounds.
Reese had a poor shooting day, going 4 of 16 from the floor and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line. She got to 10 points on the second of two free throws with 23 seconds to play.
Chennedy Carter scored 15 points for Chicago. Lindsay Allen made three 3-pointers and scored 13, adding seven assists and six rebounds. Marina Mabrey scored 11 on 4-of-17 shooting.
The Associated Press
