After setting the WNBA career scoring record, guard Diana Taurasi will try to move on with the Phoenix Mercury when they play the Storm in Seattle on Friday night.
"Diana Taurasi has got nothing to prove to anyone because she is the greatest player in the world. But she still has stuff to prove to herself," Phoenix coach Sandy Brondello told reporters on Wednesday.
"That's just the kind of competitor she is. It's just her will to win. It's not about the numbers now. She knows what she can do. It's more about getting out there, getting the team ready, so we can win some more games."
Taurasi reached 7,493 points in a 90-59 loss at Los Angeles on Sunday as Phoenix dropped to 6-5. Seattle (6-5) is coming off a 75-57 home victory over the San Antonio Stars on Sunday, snapping a three-game losing streak.
"I thought we started to look more how we're supposed to look," Storm coach Jenny Boucek said on WNBA.com. "I did think we got more to how we want to play on both ends of the floor."
The first matchup of the season between these teams will feature four of the top nine scorers in the WNBA, heading into Thursday night's games.
Phoenix center Brittney Griner leads at 22.9 points per game. Seattle guard Jewell Loyd, a third-year pro who is taking on a bigger role for the Storm this season, is sixth at 18.4 points per game.
Taurasi is seventh at 18.3 points per game, and Storm forward Breanna Stewart is ninth at 17.3. Stewart is coming off a huge effort against the Stars -- 22 points, a season-high 15 rebounds and a career-best five blocks.
"She now has a good feel for the game, a good rhythm, and is letting things come to her," Boucek said on WNBA.com about the second-year standout from UConn. "When you do that with her talent, good things are going to happen for us as a team."
Phoenix is expected to get back starting point guard Danielle Robinson, who has missed the past two games because of an ankle injury. Her defensive speed should be key against Storm guard Sue Bird, who is averaging a league-best 7.7 assists.
Robinson is averaging 7.2 points and 5.0 assists per game.
Seattle went 2-1 against Phoenix last season, with Loyd scoring 30 and 32 points in the victories.
Taurasi attempts more 3-pointers per game (7.9) than anybody in the WNBA, making 41.8 percent.
"I don't think anyone is going to break this record," Brondello said. "Diana is not retiring any time soon. She is still playing at a high level. Hopefully, she is getting as much love as she can, because she deserves it."
