Taurasi gets mark, Sparks get the win

SPARKS 90 PHOENIX 59

Diana Taurasi scored 19 points to break the WNBA career scoring record in the Phoenix Mercury’s 90-59 loss to the Sparks on Sunday at Staples Center.

With her parents watching, Taurasi passed Tina Thompson’s mark of 7,488 points in the closing seconds of the first half.

“It's pretty special I got to do it in front of my family on Father’s Day in L.A.,” said Taurasi, who has 7,494 points.

The game was stopped and the crowd, which included former Lakers star Kobe Bryant, gave Taurasi a warm ovation.

It only took the Mercury star 13 seasons to become the league’s top scorer. Thompson needed 17 seasons to achieve her total.

Thompson, who played with Taurasi on a few Olympic and overseas teams, offered her congratulations.

“I am excited that it is Diana and it is my absolute pleasure to pass the torch on to her,” Thompson said.

Nneke Ogwumike led the Sparks (8-3) with 18 points and had seven rebounds, and Candace Parker added 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

The Sparks raced to a 15-0 lead against the Mercury (6-5), were up 22-2 and led 38-17 at the end of the first quarter. It was their highestscoring quarter of the season and two points shy of the WNBA record for most points in a quarter.

Riquna Williams hit consecutive three-point shots to push the lead to 30 points early in the fourth and Odyssey Sims hit two free throws to make it 90-57, the biggest lead of the season for the Sparks.