Diana Taurasi – Top 17 games for Phoenix Mercury during the 2011 WNBA regular-season (Part 5)
June 4, 2011 – Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle Storm
Although Phoenix Mercury lost their first game of the season with a 78-71 defeat to the defending WNBA champion Seattle Storm, but Diana Taurasi’s performance in the game was one among the best of her career.
The 29-year-old guard scored a game-high 31 points and stole the ball two times during her 31 minutes of action. The five-time WNBA All-Star hit 11 of 20 shots from the field and was Mercury’s only offensive option in the first
half, despite having three fouls with just 15 seconds remaining in the second period.
The player shot 4 for 5 from three-point range and a perfect 5 for 5 from free throw line.
Taurasi racked up 11 of her points in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter as Mercury trimmed their 19-point deficit to just five with 16 seconds to go in the final buzzer. However, the 6 ft guard hesitated to pick up her
sixth foul and Swin Cash of Seattle scored an uncontested layup to seal first victory at home.
June 19, 2011 – Phoenix Mercury vs. Indiana Fever
On June 19, 2011 at the US Airways Center, Taurasi played a stellar game for Phoenix in their 93-89 overtime victory over visiting Indiana Fever. Taurasi chipped in seven of her game-high 32 points in overtime, all on free throws,
as Phoenix snapped their three-game losing streak at the start of the season.
Taurasi also grabbed five rebounds and dished out two assists in more than 38 minutes of action. The Don Antonio Lugo High School’s product shot 10 for 23 from the field and 9 for 12 from free throw line.
Trailing by 87-82 with 03:10 to go in overtime, Taurasi hit five consecutive free throws and tied the game at 87. January then scored a lay-up to put Indiana ahead by two but Ferdinand-Harris hit a jumper to make it 89-89. The
Fever turned the ball over on the next possession leading to a Tamika Catchings foul on Taurasi, who hit the two free throws to give Mercury a two-point lead with 21 ticks to go.
September 9, 2011 – Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle Storm
In spite of another valiant effort from Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury fell to Seattle, 85-70, snapping a two-game winning streak. Taurasi recorded her season-high 36 points and grabbed two rebounds in the losing effort.
Taurasi, chipped in 20 of her points in the second quarter, two shy of the WNBA record she set in 2006. The veteran guard had 12 of them during a 16-4 run to give her team a six-point lead after trailing by 31-25. The 29-year-old
recorded 28 points in the first half of the game as Phoenix held a 41-35 edge at halftime.
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