Bonner leads Mercury over Dream 77-68

Published Aug. 20, 2019 10:28 a.m. ET

PHOENIX (AP) — DeWanna Bonner had 27 points and 13 rebounds to help the short-handed Phoenix Mercury snap a three-game skid with a 77-68 victory over the Atlanta Dream on Friday night.

Camille Little's jump shot in the final minute of the third quarter sparked an 18-4 Mercury run that ended at 67-62 with 6:24 left in the game. The Dream closed the deficit to 70-66 before Phoenix pulled away for good with seven straight points.

The Mercury's Brittney Griner served the second of her three-game suspension. Diana Taurasi (hamstring), Essence Carson (calf), Sancho Lyttle (knee) and Alanna Smith (ankle) were out with injuries for Phoenix (12-13).

The Dream (5-21) led most of the way and took control late in the third quarter with an 11-2 run capped at 58-49 on Brittney Sykes' pair of free throws.

Renee Montgomery had 17 points to lead Atlanta, which lost its 11th in a row — the franchise's worst stretch since starting 0-17 in 2008.