Taurasi scores 27, Mercury beat Liberty 83-69

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Diana Taurasi scored 27 points, making her first seven 3-point attempts, and the Phoenix Mercury snapped a two-game skid with an 83-69 win over the New York Liberty on Tuesday night.

Phoenix (11-5) scored the last seven points of the third quarter to lead 67-48. New York (4-9) closed within 11 in the middle of the quarter before the Mercury pulled away for good.

The Mercury opened the game with a 15-2 run and never trailed. The Liberty scored the first five points of the third quarter to cut the deficit to 44-42 after trailing by as many as 18 in the first half.

Phoenix made 14 of 23 from behind the arc with Taurasi finishing 7-for-11.

DeWanna Bonner added 18 points while Sancho Lyttle and Brittney Griner scored 12 apiece for the Mercury.

Tina Charles had 12 points to lead the Liberty, who lost their third straight.