Hartley’s career-high 27 points ignite rout
Not everyone thought signing Bria Hartley to a close to maximum salary, three-year contract was a sound financial decision by the Phoenix Mercury.
So far, Hartley is playing up to her deal and proving to be worth every cent of her $185,000 2020 salary.
The 27-year old guard eclipsed her career scoring high Sunday with 27 points against her former team in a 9667 win over the New York Liberty. That came four days after equaling her previous high (26).
With 79 points all off the bench in the first four games of the season, Hartley broke a WNBA record set by the Liberty’s Kia Nurse (76) in 2018.
Hartley leads the Mercury in scoring with a 19.7 average, far above her career high of 9.8 from last year and career average 8.1.
“It’s no secret I’m a scoring guard,” Hartley said. “In some other offense, it was more trying to fit as a pass-first point guard. Here you have great passers like DT (Diana Taurasi) and playmakers like Sky (Diggins-Smith) so I’m able to focus on coming off being aggressive, but I can still be a playmaker.
“Sandy (Brondello) really encouraged me coming into training camp be looking to shoot, be ready. It’s really encouraging to hear a coach say that to you. I do think this is my style of basketball.”
Hartley also had five rebounds and four assists as the Mercury (2-2) won a second straight game to get back to .500. Taurasi was a big factor, too, with 18 points and nine assists, just missing a second straight double-double. Three others scored in double figures including Diggins-Smith with a late burst to reach 10 on her 30th birthday.
“I’ve always thought she’s been a fantastic player,” Brondello said of Hartley. “I don’t think was always used in the right way, but the girl is a scorer. She’s also a really tough defender. People were talking about how much we paid, but that’s how much we thought about her because we really thought she’d complement the players we have. She’s certainly dispelling that (being overpaid) at the moment.”
Griner returns from foul trouble to key big fourth quarter
The Mercury never trailed for a second straight game but like against Las Vegas on Friday had a dicey moment in the third quarter.
The Liberty (0-4), without injured WNBA No. 1 overall draft pick Sabrina Ionescu (ankle), trailed 25-12 after the first quarter and 41-27 at halftime.
Mercury center Brittney Griner picked up her fifth foul at 6:38 of the third quarter, right after forward Sophie Cunningham took her fourth foul.
That created an opening for the inexperienced Liberty, who rallied to within a point (55-54) with two minutes left in the third.
The Mercury finished the third on a 7-2 run then 6-9 Griner had a pair of three-point plays as part of a 10-0 run to start the fourth that largely clinched a third straight win vs. New York and seventh in the last eight meetings. Phoenix had a 34-11 scoring edge in the fourth.
“We didn’t play great up to three quarter, but that fourth quarter really changed things up,” said Brondello, now with 134 career wins, tied for 10th most in WNBA history. “I had to make most of the focus to get the ball into BG (Griner). No one can stop her when we put her in positions to score like that. We have to grind out wins as much as we can with this schedule. I’m really happy with that fourth quarter. That was fun to watch.”
Griner had 16 points and six rebounds, contributing a 47-34 edge on the boards. Forward Brianna Turner led all rebounders with 11 while Kia Vaughn and Allana Smith combined for 15.
Griner picked up a technical foul as did Cunningham in her second straight start.