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Mercury-Shock Preview

Jul 22, 2010 - 1:35 PM By SAMANTHA PANITCH STATS Writer

Phoenix (8-12) at Tulsa (4-17), 8:00 p.m. EDT

The Phoenix Mercury missed the playoffs the year after winning their first WNBA first championship. Lately, they have appeared more determined to make sure that does not happen again.

Phoenix looks to strengthen its hold on second place in the tightly packed Western Conference when it visits the Tulsa Shock on Thursday night.

The Mercury won the league title in 2007, but went 16-16 the following year. Like all but one of its Western Conference rivals, Phoenix (8-12) is off to a slow start this season, but its recent play suggests that the Mercury may be getting on track.

The defending champs have won three of four since a six-game losing streak, a skid that may have helped remind them of some valuable lessons learned in '08.

"It's really tough because everybody wants what we have," center Tangela Smith told the team's official website. "They're coming at us extremely hard and we've learned it's important to match that intensity."

Phoenix's two losses in July came by a total of seven points to Atlanta and Seattle, who are a combined 33-11. The Storm have the league's best record at 19-2.

"I think whether you're defending the title or not, every team is good," said Mercury forward Penny Taylor, who along with her teammates was honored at the White House on Monday. "Obviously I feel people are really focusing every time they come into this gym because we are the defending champions, and it's important to understand that wins aren't going to come easy."

The Mercury are coming off a 97-88 victory over the Shock (4-17) on Saturday. Phoenix is a half-game in front of Minnesota for second place in the West, just 4 1/2 ahead of last-place Tulsa.

Taylor had 29 points and seven assists while Candice Dupree added 26 points and six rebounds for the Mercury. Diana Taurasi scored 16 as Phoenix became the first team in league history to top the 90-point mark in six consecutive games.

The Mercury have averaged 107.7 points in winning all three meetings with the Shock this year.

Tulsa got 15 points from Scholanda Robinson and 13 rebounds from Chante Black. Five Shock players scored in double figures.

Tulsa is coming off of an 86-83 overtime loss to Los Angeles on Tuesday, its 14th defeat in 15 games.

Robinson scored 19 points and Ivory Latta had 10 points and seven assists for the Shock, who continued to be plagued poor shooting and turnovers. They shot 37 percent from the field and turned the ball over 23 times, leading to 28 Sparks points.

Tulsa leads the league with 18.6 turnovers per game and is shooting 42.7 percent from the field, third worst in the WNBA.

The Shock will be trying to win at home for the first time since June 4.