Rookie Lexi Held scores season-high 24 factors as Mercury shut on 18-1 run to beat Valkyries 86-77

Phoenix trailed 76-68 with 4:04 remaining.

Held put the Mercury forward 77-76 with 1:11 remaining on a deep 3-pointer. After Golden State went 1 for two on the free-throw line, Sabally rebounded her personal miss and put it in whereas being fouled. Sabally made the free throw for a three-point play and an 80-77 benefit with 33.3 left.

Golden State guard Veronica Burton missed a wide-open layup on the different finish and Sabally was fouled earlier than making two free throws for a five-point lead. The Valkyries turned it over on their subsequent two inbound performs, and the Mercury made 4 straight free throws to seal it.

Held was 7 for 15 from the sector, together with 4 for 9 behind the arc, and 6 for six on the free-throw line for one of the best scoring output by a rookie this season, passing Paige Bueckers’ mark of 21.

Phoenix improved to 5-1 at dwelling — a franchise finest to start a season.

Sami Whitcomb added 9 factors earlier than fouling out late for Phoenix, which was with out starters Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas .

Burton led Golden State with 16 factors, going 9 for 11 on the free-throw line. Temi Fagbenle had 12 factors and 10 rebounds. Kayla Thornton, Cecilia Zandalasini and Julie Vanloo every scored 10.

Megan McConnell, sister of NBA guard T.J. McConnell, was carrying his No. 9 Indiana Pacers jersey on the bench after getting injured in Phoenix’s loss to Minnesota on Tuesday. He was seen arriving on the NBA Finals carrying her No. 16 Mercury jersey.

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