Storm beat Lynx in the WNBA
Skylar Diggins scored 19 of her 23 points after half-time
New York Liberty beat Washington Mystics
The Seattle Storm picked up a huge win thanks to one of the largest comebacks by any WNBA team this season.
Skylar Diggins scored 19 of her 23 points after half-time and the Storm rallied from 21 points down to beat the Minnesota Lynx 93-79 on Thursday.
With the improbable victory, which tied the largest by any WNBA team this year and the second-largest comeback win in Seattle franchise history, the Storm improved to 21-19 to move a half-game ahead of the Golden State Valkyries for the eighth and final play-off spot.
Seattle, which trailed 39-18 at the 5:30 mark of the second quarter, closed the third quarter on a 25-6 run and scored 34 points in the period after scoring 33 points in the first two quarters combined. The Storm made 12 of 19 shots in the third, and were 7 of 11 from beyond the arc.
Diggins, Gabby Williams and Erica Wheeler each drained four 3-pointers, as Williams finished with 16 points and Wheeler scored 13.
Kayla McBride had 20 points and five 3-pointers for the Lynx, who lost for just the second time in 20 home games this season. Minnesota (30-8) could've secured home-court advantage throughout the WNBA play-offs with a win.
Harrison leads short-handed Liberty by slumping Mystics
Injuries limited the New York Liberty to eight healthy players against the Washington Mystics.
It didn't matter.
Isabelle Harrison stepped up with a season-high 16 points in her return to lead five New York players in double figures as the short-handed Liberty cruised to an 89-63 victory.
New York (24-15) was without leading scorer Sabrina Ionescu after she injured her toe at Wednesday's practice, as well as No. 3 scorer Jonquel Jones, who wasn't feeling well. The team was already without Natasha Cloud (broken nose) and Nyara Sabally (knee).
Emma Meesseman scored 15, Marine Johannes added 14 and Breanna Stewart had 12 points and nine rebounds in 24 minutes in her second game back after missing 13 games with a bone bruise in her right knee. Harrison returned to the lineup against the Mystics after missing seven games because of a concussion, and the Liberty have now won two in a row after going 5-8 without Stewart.
Sonia Citron led the Mystics with 18 points and fellow rookie Kiki Iriafen scored 16 as Washington (16-23) lost its fifth straight game.
Copper helps Mercury escape Sky
Kahleah Copper celebrated her 31st birthday with a 28-point performance, as the Phoenix Mercury held on for an 83-79 win over the Chicago Sky.
The Mercury were up 67-58 with seven minutes remaining before the Sky went on a 13-4 run to tie the score at 71 on Kia Nurse's jumper with 3:35 to play.
Chicago was never able to pull ahead, however, and Alyssa Thomas put the game away, driving to the basket and converting a floater with 13 seconds remaining to give Phoenix a four-point advantage. With their third straight win, the Mercury (24-14) remained a half-game ahead of the Liberty for the fourth seed in the play-offs.
Thomas finished with 15 points and Natasha Mack recorded her first career double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Angel Reese had 20 rebounds - including eight on the offensive end - and with her 800th career board she moved past Copper for fifth in rebounds in Chicago's 20-year franchise history.
Reese, who is just in her second WNBA season, scored 15 points, as did Kamilla Cardoso, while Nurse led the Sky (9-29) with 17 points.
