Diana Taurasi makes history, leads Mercury over Sparks Field Level Media 28 Jun 2021, 10:40 GMT+10 Diana Taurasi returned from a nine-game absence to score a game-high 25 points and make WNBA history as the host Phoenix Mercury defeated the Los Angeles Sparks 88-79 on Sunday. Taurasi, who hadn't played since May 21 because of a fractured sternum, became the first WNBA player to score 9,000 career points. Brittney Griner added 22 points and eight rebounds, Skyler Diggins-Smith scored 16 and Kia Nurse 13 for the Mercury (7-7). Phoenix had lost four in a row before defeating the host Sparks 80-66 in their last game on June 18. Erica Wheeler scored 21 points, Te'a Cooper, who came off the bench to score a career-high 26 points in a win against Washington on Thursday, added 20, Brittney Sykes had 11 and Amanda Zahui B. 10 for the short-handed Sparks (6-8), who used just eight players in the absence of injured Bria Holmes along with Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike.