Lynx get back on "Wright" track

BY MIKE PEDEN

The Minnesota Lynx answered many of its criticisms Tuesday night by snapping their five-game losing streak with a 92-82 win over the reigning WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury.

6,854 people came to Target Center to see Candice Wiggins take the court for the first time this season. Still sore from arthroscopic knee surgery last month, Wiggins was listed as doubtful before the game. After the game, she was considered a factor for the Lynx's first home win of the season.

Wiggins scored eight points in 15 1/2 minutes, including a pair of three-pointers, and quickly got the crowd in a frenzy. She was scheduled to play just 10, but early foul trouble for Lindsay Whalen forced a little improvisation.

"I felt good about myself helping the team get that energy going," Wiggins said. "Everyone's confident in themselves."

"When she's in the game, you can actually feel her presence," said Lynx rookie guard Monica Wright.

While Wiggins was applauded for her return, the night belonged to Wright and forward Rebekkah Brunson. Wright scored a career-high 32 points off the bench on 12-of-23 shooting, draining six of 10 three-point shots. Brunson amplified her aggressive play from the last few games and finished the night with a double-double, getting 16 points and 15 rebounds.

Tuesday night's game was Wright's first as a reserve as Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve begins to transition her lineup with the team close to full-strength.

"It's a role she was ready for when she was drafted, and it's a role she's going to have very soon anyway. The timing was right," Reeve said.

Wright sank her first shot of the game, a three-pointer, and refused to let up even when she missed jump shots. Coming off a loss where she scored a season-low five points against Chicago Saturday, Wright says her teammates kept her confidence from dropping.

"I want to be able to do this night in and night out," she said. "(Reeve) gave me great words of advice that would help me out."

The game was no cruise for the Lynx (2-5) though. Both the Lynx and Mercury (2-3) were about even in most stat categories through the first half, with the Lynx holding a 40-38 edge heading to the locker room.

The third quarter featured the game's key moment. The Lynx held a 52-46 lead at the 4:43 mark when Candice Wiggins sparked a 12-2 run with a three-pointer, with Wright scoring 7 in that stretch. On defense, the Lynx forced Phoenix to make tough shots inside all game, and the Mercury failed to capitalize on open looks from short-range.

The Mercury kept things interesting late in the fourth, utilizing their stronghold of three-point shooters, but playing foul-and-chase with Whalen proved to be too much. Whalen remained perfect on the season from the free throw line, making all nine Tuesday to increase her streak to 41, and finished the game with 11 points.

The Lynx win nullified a solid scoring effort from the Mercury starters, who all finished in double-figures, led by Diana Taurasi with 21.

"You can never think that it's over because (Taurasi) is frustrated. She's somebody that you have to continue to play throughout the game," Brunson said.

Taurasi's frustrations were caused by committing six turnovers and making just two of nine shots inside the three-point line.

"It was a bad break. You miss it, they run it down your throat and get the nice call. It was hard," she said.

The Mercury have now lost their last two games and will look to step up their defense as the Western Conference tries to keep pace with 5-1 Seattle.

"We didn't have that sense of urgency for 40 minutes," said forward Candace Dupree, who was one rebound shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine boards. "We need to do a better job of boxing out and crashing the boards."