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Liberty-Mercury Preview

Jul 17, 2015 - 5:29 PM The New York Liberty took advantage of their opportunity to take down the short-handed defending champions in last month's meeting at Madison Square Garden.

Things aren't likely to come as easy this time with Brittney Griner patrolling the middle.

With three All-Star starters set to battle in the frontcourt, the Phoenix Mercury hope to keep rolling with their seventh straight win Saturday night against the visiting Liberty.

Phoenix went 3-4 during Griner's suspension for an offseason domestic violence incident involving then-partner Glory Johnson of Tulsa, including a lackluster 68-57 loss to New York on June 11.

After falling 71-56 at Minnesota in Griner's first game back June 27, the Mercury (9-5) have rounded into form by averaging 84.8 points while running off six consecutive victories.

Griner has scored 19.2 per game in that span and was named to her third All-Star Game earlier this week. She finished with 22 points and seven rebounds as Phoenix's frontcourt teamed to score 62 and pull down 22 boards in Tuesday's 80-71 home win over Atlanta.

DeWanna Bonner is on pace for her highest scoring average since 2012 at 17.6 per game, while All-Star forward Candice Dupree is averaging 15.1 points after finishing with a season-high 22 on Tuesday.

"We're always going to have a target on our back, not only because we've got six wins in a row but we're the previous champions," reserve center Cayla Francis said. "We continue to improve, which is obviously really exciting, and hopefully on to (win) seven."

Francis started in place of Griner in the first meeting with New York, which snapped a four-game series skid. The Liberty outrebounded the Mercury 51-27 and held them to 29.2 percent shooting.

Bonner and Dupree finished with a combined 34 points but shot 12 for 33 (36.4 percent). New York (9-5) owns the league's best defensive field-goal percentage at 36.6.

Tina Charles, who had 19 points and 11 rebounds in last month's win, will try to continue her recent strong play as the Liberty seek their third straight victory and sixth in seven games.

The center finished with 22 points and 12 boards for her sixth double-double to lead New York to a 64-57 home win over Connecticut on Thursday. She's averaging 21.0 points and 9.2 rebounds over her last five games and was named to her fourth consecutive All-Star Game.

Charles has scored 21.7 points and grabbed 9.3 boards per game in her last three against Phoenix.

Kiah Stokes will try to build on her performance against the Sun after finishing with a franchise-record eight blocks. The rookie center leads the WNBA with 2.6 per game.

"I know I have a long way to go - that's for sure, but I know that when I was drafted it was for my defensive efforts and I want to make sure I bring that every day," Stokes said.

Epiphanny Prince averaged at least 15.0 points in her previous three years with Chicago, but she's at 12.3 through four games with New York this season after playing for Russia in the EuroBasket tournament.