Bird sets WNBA career wins record as Storm beat Aces 88-78
SEATTLE — Sue Bird became the WNBA’s leader in career wins with 324 on Wednesday night as the Seattle Storm beat the Las Vegas Aces 88-78.
Bird, who has announced this will be her final season, passed former Minnesota star Lindsay Whalen.
Jewell Loyd led Seattle (12-7) with 24 points, and Breanna Stewart had 14 points and seven rebounds. Stephanie Talbot added 15 points and Bird had 13 points and six assists. Tina Charles scored four points in her debut for the Storm.
Bird made a 3-pointer in transition to cap Seattle’s 13-0 run for a 55-47 lead midway through the third quarter. But Las Vegas tied it at 60 later in the quarter after a 13-2 run.
A’ja Wilson had 17 points and 16 rebounds for the Aces (14-5). Kelsey Plum scored 16 points, Jackie Young added 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and Chelsea Gray had 10 points and eight assists. Iliana Rupert scored 11 points off the bench.
Wilson had a double-double in the first half with 11 points and 11 rebounds to help Las Vegas lead 47-44.
The game featured seven former No. 1 draft picks in Bird, Charles, Loyd, Stewart, Wilson, Plum and Young.
MERCURY 99, FEVER 78
PHOENIX — Skylar Diggins-Smith had 17 points and seven assists, Sophie Cunningham added 14 points and the Phoenix Mercury beat the Indiana Fever 99-78 on Wednesday night.
Phoenix (9-12) beat Indiana for a seventh straight time, including an 83-71 victory on Monday.
Shey Peddy and Diamond DeShields each added 13 points for Phoenix, which has won three straight games. Brianna Turner had 11 points and 11 rebounds and Diana Taurasi also scored 11. The Mercury had a season-high 29 assists on 38 made field goals.
Phoenix built a 49-43 lead by halftime behind 28 combined points from Diggins-Smith, Cunningham and Peddy.
Kelsey Mitchell scored 14 of her 21 points in the first half for Indiana (5-16). Victoria Vivians added 13 points.
SKY 91, SUN 83
CHICAGO — Candace Parker had a season-high 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, Kahleah Copper scored 15 points and Chicago beat the Connecticut Sun 91-83 on Wednesday for the Sky’s fourth straight victory.
Parker made a no-look pass to Kahleah Copper with 33.5 seconds left before halftime to become the eighth player in WNBA history to reach 1,500 career assists. Parker is the only player in WNBA history to eclipse 6,000 points, 3,000 rebounds and 1,500 assists in a career.
Chicago went on a 31-9 run in the first half and led by as many as 23 points. The Sky shot 83.3% (20 of 24) in the first half, while the Sun shot 30% (12 of 40).
Connecticut went on a 7-0 run to get within 82-74 with 2:18 left in the fourth quarter. But Rebekah Gardner ended Chicago’s drought with a 3-pointer and Emma Meesseman made two free throws on the Sky’s next possession for an 87-76 lead.
Allie Quigley added 13 points for Chicago (14-5), which is off to its best 19-game start in franchise history. Azura Stevens and Gardner each scored 10 points, and Courtney Vandersloot had nine points and six assists.
Jonquel Jones had 24 points, 11 rebounds and five steals for her sixth double-double of the season for Connecticut (13-7). Alyssa Thomas added 23 points and Brionna Jones scored 18 points. DeWanna Bonner was held to eight points on 3-of-12 shooting and Courtney Williams was 2 of 10 for six points.
