Canada's Kia Nurse ends 1st WNBA season with 28-point performance
New York Liberty guard scores 22 in 1st half
DeWanna Bonner had 23 points and 10 rebounds to help the Phoenix Mercury beat New York 96-85 on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both teams, sending the Liberty to their 13th straight loss.
Canada's Kia Nurse had 22 of her 28 points in the first half for the Liberty (7-27). Rebecca Allen added 15 points, and Kiah Stokes had 12 points and nine rebounds.
Stephanie Talbot added 18 points, and Diana Taurasi had 16. The fifth-seeded Mercury (20-14) will host the eighth-seeded Dallas Wings on Tuesday night in the first round of the WNBA playoffs.
.<a href="https://twitter.com/KayNurse11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KayNurse11</a> is going OFF early in Phoenix!<br><br>The rookie has 12 of <a href="https://twitter.com/nyliberty?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nyliberty</a>'s opening 14 points. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WatchMeWork?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WatchMeWork</a> <a href="https://t.co/813PJwbZcE">pic.twitter.com/813PJwbZcE</a>
—@WNBAPhoenix took the lead for good late in the first half and extended the 19-3 run into the third quarter for a 63-49 lead. The Mercury then built to their largest lead at 80-59 and kept the advantage in double digits the rest of the way.