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Sun-Mercury Preview

Aug 28, 2009 - 8:10 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Connecticut (14-14) at Phoenix (19-9), 10:00 p.m. EDT

The Phoenix Mercury have clinched a spot in the WNBA playoffs, and their latest win seemed to confirm that they'll be a very tough matchup in the postseason.

While Phoenix looks like a potential title contender, the Connecticut Sun could find themselves out of the playoff field altogether.

The Mercury look to pad their lead atop the Western Conference on Saturday night when they host the Sun, who have dropped their last two games and are losing their grip on a playoff spot in the East.

Phoenix (19-9) clinched a postseason berth earlier this week when Minnesota and San Antonio lost, then came up with one of their most impressive wins of the season on the road Thursday night.

The Mercury brought the league's best road record into Los Angeles, but the Sparks had won six in a row and jumped out to an 18-point first-quarter lead despite playing without star Candace Parker.

Phoenix stormed back, getting a game-high 26 points from Cappie Pondexter and 17 from reserve Penny Taylor as it rallied for a 98-90 win.

The Mercury, which remained two games up on second-place Seattle, outrebounded Los Angeles 42-30.

"Our bread and butter is rebounding and going," said Diana Taurasi, who had 20 points and is the league's leading scorer at 20.8 per game. "When we can't get stops and can't rebound, it's hard for us to get in the open court where we thrive."

Pondexter averages 19.1 points and victimized Connecticut (14-14) on July 28 at Mohegan Sun Arena, scoring 29 points in a 95-80 Mercury win. The Sun trailed by as many as 29 in the third quarter.

The loss snapped a season-high four-game win streak, and Connecticut is 6-8 since that run. While the Sun are a game behind Atlanta for second place, there are four teams just behind them that could push coach Mike Thibault's club out of the picture entirely.

Making matters more difficult for the Sun is the absence of leading scorer Asjha Jones. The All-Star power forward missed the last five games with a sore left Achilles' tendon and is expected to be out for two more weeks.

The Sun began a critical four-game road trip Thursday with an 86-74 loss to Seattle.

"Of course we're going to miss Asjha, but we have to play with who's here and focus on that," said guard Lindsay Whalen, who led the Sun with 18 points. "There's nothing you can do but play hard with who you've got."

Whalen has stepped up with Jones out, averaging 16.7 points and 7.0 assists, but she struggled July 28 against the Mercury. Whalen went 3 of 9 from the floor and scored 10 points as Connecticut shot 35.2 percent.

Taurasi has averaged 23.0 points in leading the Mercury to four straight wins over the Sun.