"WNBA Highlights: Atlanta Dream vs Phoenix Mercury | FULL 2nd-QTR (09/03/2024) Women's Basketball"

here at the footprint Center if you're just tuning in not Tosh Cloud she is serving a one game suspension for aing too many technical fouls on the season Ry going into his Zone Maya Caldwell has checked into the game and is off the mark from three and here come the Mercury Phoenix led by as many as nine in that first quarter of play Diana terasi getting it back to grer BG gives it back to D terasi earning a whistle Yukon on yukon's crime and big smiles from mhm and toas gave the heart and you said Yukon players but you know give credit to Phoenix in that first quarter they held Atlanta to 19% from the floor they only made four field goals but it was the seven turnovers in that first quarter that really hurt Phoenix so terasi has four points and twoe point Annie holding Ryan Howard and to gr and Alisha gr to just three points of eace in that first quarter also huge defensively off another turnover Sophie Cunningham ahead to Taylor stops can't connect a whistle away from the basketball and it looks like they're going to get Mo'Nique Billings going to get minutes in this game that always relaxes you as a player 100% And it's on this end of the floor where the Mercury will miss Tosh Cloud she defends a play player and a half every time the Mercury steps on the floor cting him now with five rebounds she's averaging a career high in rebounds this season it's been rebounding by committee for the Mercury hunningham leaving it for terasi 3 seconds in the key than 10,500 points career she adds one more to that so tas's got five Taylor calling for it three on the way back iron Canada is there for the rebound Ryan Howard surveying the defense Billings on Howard coffee trying to back down to rosi and Sophie conningham picking up the loose ball got about three or four steals already she's credited with two but I like your number better Annie BG bottoms yeah BG's really been working on that outside shot that face up not only there Ellie reing new yor in the mascot World a reach in and a hard foul two UCLA players right there Mo'Nique Billings in Jordan Canada she came back she broke that pinky so that kept her on even longer trying to get an inside terrific defense by Celeste Taylor channeling her inner TSH Cloud right there what a great defensive stop Sophie Cunningham and copper with a little miscommunication gray taking advantage doesn't get the roll gets her own rebound back out to Howard for three you just got to know where jersey number 10 is on the floor Howard can go on a heater in a hurry she's 33% from threes that's her 17th this season topper will head back to the free throw line it's now time for a word from our friends at Fri so copper splits a pair she's into double figures with 11 leading all scores with those 11 points nobody in double figures yet for Atlanta again if Phoenix wins and Las Vegas beats Chicago then the Mercury will clinch their 18th playoff trip in franchise history try Herbert harrian getting set to check in for the Mercury shot clocked low and Howard is off the back iron yeah it was great scrambled defense by the Mercury they've got seven players that have rebounded the ball the mercury has and Jordan Canada doing JC things coming up with the basketball on the steel six minutes to go here in the second quarter tibit calling out the defense he wants to see Celeste Taylor again she's like a def it back just picking off passes that the quarterback throws and Ryan Howard will in points per game arque had a pretty slow day at the office for Dallas as Washington was able to go into their house and win so copper can regain her second place spot behind Asia Wilson it's going to be tough picking the first team WNBA and second team oh so many good players this year not that they having in the past right but this league is particularly St 6 minutes to go here in the second quarter Canada triple try no battle for the rebound Caldwell tons of Hustle but it'll be Phoenix Mercury basketball it away BG Bales are out copper three and Charles is there for the [Applause] rebound Atlanta just five up and 11 down this season on the road and when it comes to playing Phoenix even worse three up 17 down all time but Ryan Howard must not have been alerted to that statistic as she buries another triple she's quickly got nine yeah she's definitely found her grooves three of six so you've got to Runner off the line five minutes to go here in the second quarter terasi and Matt getting set to check in Kiki Herbert herrian off the bounce okay I like that Kiki is a winner want to ship with Don Staley at South Carolina has been in the starting lineup for the Mercury a couple times this season and average nine points when she did so so she can fill up yeah you cannot go behind that screen or you got to get help for your defensive teammate and reach out Howard now with a dozen as she has got four makes from Beyond The Arc Jordan Canada that lean steal several times and just harassing so Celeste Taylor so Canada credited with two steals already and Celeste Taylor picking up her second personal foul I'm sorry just sending Canada to the free throw line yeah Jordan Canada led the lead was back in 2019 of course she's won two WNBA championships with Seattle and was a huge free agent signing for Atlanta during the off seon yeah she's really happy Matt copper Billings Cunningham and terasi it's an 8-2 Atlanta run after those free throws leaving the paint wide open four minutes to go here in the second quarter Tina Charles no terrific o board by Billings and Chin bus gets it ahead to terasi back to Copper three on the way is good A little 0 run by KFC she's got 18 [Applause] Howard can't answer and Mack is there for the [Applause] rebound nice little Flex by copper Kalia turning the corner doesn't get the scoop but there is an O board by Mack ball goes out of bound Vegas she had 15 in the last game ma connects but Ma confidence BG with six the lead back to 10 [Applause] and Taylor rubed off on the screen induces that foued it and knocked the shot down Atlanta has it won here in Phoenix since July of 2022 that turnover helping the dreams cause Canada so quick with the basketball terrific defense by Taylor reminding everybody that she was all Defense NBA career she is bringing for the Mercury Taylor facing all kinds of defensive pressure trying to get that ball out and does terrific effort by her conningham for three you bet you well we talked about focusing on the game that's 50/50 balls that's taking care of the basketball setting good screens blocking out and Celeste Taylor gets that loose ball and is able to get it out to grinder and grinder with the assist to Cunningham JC off the back bounce leaving it for Taylor was inside Char yeah the restricted area as Phoenix enjoying its largest lead of the day 13 shot clock getting low Canada recognizes pulls up from three and copper is there with the rebound she's on the Run Big Time rebound KFC a little hesy trying to shake gray gets it to Cunningham skipping it to Mack who goes and gets it 8 seconds on the shot clock oh the defense the Canada plays is just ferocious and the whistle [Applause] blows so first half recognizing any bad calls or good calls per se and Atlanta I think a little bit more frustrated they've got eight fouls called on them butam shooting 88% from the free throw line bar a pair so she's right about what she averages against Atlanta this season six and six she's got five points and five rebounds under a minute to go Nia coffee uh-uh battle for the rebound look at those three white shirts Annie that is exciting if you are a Mercury fan yeah cutting ham runs it down Cunningham is just so aggressive on the rebounds terasi doesn't get the roll battle for the rebound ball goes out two for one opportunity for Atlanta if they want to take it cofy kicking it out calwell ran out of real estate the lead is 15 for three game slide and clinch a playoff spot oh with a win [Music] tonight Caldwell trying to hang with KFC screen from grinder and then coffee coming up with the BL blo good defense there there this is good if it goes and it does