PHOENIX — Diana Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter and Penny Taylor — the trio that led the Phoenix Mercury to its 2007 WNBA title — did it again in 2009.
League and finals MVP Taurasi scored 26 points, Pondexter added 24, and Taylor sank two crucial free throws with 37.7 seconds left Friday night as the Mercury held off a late rally to defeat the Indiana Fever 94-86 and win the series 3-2.
“This is what we do, we make big plays,” Taurasi said, holding a towel over her head in the champagne-drenched locker room. “We have people that step up and love to live the moment. It’s a great team.”
Tammy Sutton-Brown scored 22 points, and Jessica Davenport had a career-high 18 for Indiana in its first finals appearance. Tamika Catchings added 16 points and nine rebounds for the Fever.
Indiana rallied from 10 down in the second half to tie it at 80 on Sutton-Brown’s layup with 4:29 to play, then Tangela Smith made two 3-pointers, her only field goals of the night, to put the Mercury ahead for good. Her second, after Jessica Davenport scored for Indiana, put Phoenix ahead 86-82 with 3:34 to go.
Pondexter’s 9-footer made it 88-82 with 2:22 left, but the Fever — which had led the series 2-1 — wasn’t finished. Davenport’s inside basket cut it to 88-84, then Catchings’ rebound basket made it 88-86 with 2:07 to play.
On the Mercury’s next possession, Taylor drove to the basket and was fouled by Davenport. Her two free throws made it 90-86. Two free throws apiece DeWanna Bonner and Taurasi provided the final margin.
