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Mercury-Sky Preview

Aug 10, 2010 - 3:42 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Phoenix (14-14) at Chicago (12-17), 8:00 p.m. EDT

Putting up the best numbers of her career, Candice Dupree is a big reason why the Phoenix Mercury are the highest-scoring team in the WNBA.

Her success is not a surprise to the Chicago Sky.

Following a rare poor performance on offense, the Mercury will try to bounce back when they visit the Sky on Tuesday night in Dupree's first trip back to Chicago since requesting a trade earlier this year.

Led by Diana Taurasi and Dupree, Phoenix (14-14) has a three-game lead over third-place San Antonio in the Western Conference. Dupree is averaging career-bests of 16.8 points and 8.1 rebounds for the Mercury, who are scoring a league-high 96.6 points per game.

Dupree spent four seasons with Chicago after being the expansion team's first draft pick in 2006. She was a three-time All-Star with the Sky and averaged 15.7 points and 7.9 rebounds in 2009.

The additional motivation of playing her former team could help Dupree and the Mercury rebound after a 104-82 loss to Indiana on Sunday, which snapped their four-game winning streak. Phoenix had topped 100 points in five of its previous seven games.

Dupree had 19 points and six rebounds, but DeWanna Bonner - the Mercury's top reserve with 11.8 points per game - left the game on a stretcher near the end of the third quarter after getting hit in the head. Though she was moving her legs and arms, Bonner was fitted with a neck brace and later released from the hospital with a minor concussion.

While adding Dupree has helped Phoenix's offense, her departure has certainly hurt the Sky (12-17), who are the lowest-scoring team at 75.7 points per game.

Chicago has lost five in a row, falling 87-82 in overtime to Minnesota on Saturday. The Sky led by 16 at the half and 10 to start the fourth quarter, but they fell 4 1/2 games behind Washington for the final playoff spot in the East.

"I don't know why we are complacent," coach Steven Key said. "We are still fighting for an opportunity ... for a playoff spot. I don't know why we are getting complacent (after) we have 20 minutes of good basketball."

Jia Perkins led the Sky with 16 points and Sylvia Fowles added 14 points and 11 rebounds.

The Sky lost 97-96 at Phoenix on Aug. 1. Fowles had a career-high 35 points, but Taurasi also scored 35 including two free throws with 3.7 seconds left and Dupree had 19 points and six rebounds.

Phoenix is 9-0 all-time against the Sky and 4-0 in Chicago.