Plum scores 20, Young adds 19 as Aces beat Mercury 86-74

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kelsey Plum scored 20 points and Jackie Young added 19 as all five Las Vegas starters scored in double figures and the Aces beat the Phoenix Mercury 86-74 on Tuesday night.

A’ja Wilson had 16 points and nine rebounds, Chelsea Gray added 14 points and nine assists and Dearica Hamby finished with 13 points and seven rebounds for Las Vegas (4-1).

Phoenix (2-2) led by as many as 12 points in the first half and Megan Gustafson hit a 3-pointer to give the Mercury a 36-26 lead with 8:34 left in the second quarter but Las Vegas scored 21 of the next 28 points to take a four-point lead early in the second half and the Aces never again trailed.

Tina Charles led Phoenix with 17 points and nine rebounds.

Plum, who missed her first five field-goal attempts, made two baskets in the final 60 seconds of the second quarter to pull Las Vegas within four at the break. She hit a 3 to open the third quarter and, after Wilson made two free throws, added a another short basket to make it 47-43 less than 3 minutes into the second half.

Las Vegas made 9 of 15 from the field while limiting the Mercury to 3-of-11 shooting, and outscored Phoenix 30-12, in the third quarter.

The Mercury’s Skylar Diggins-Smith and Diana Taurasi twice had to be separated after a heated exchange during a timeout late in the first half. The duo — both WNBA All-Stars last season — combined to score 18 points on 4-of-15 shooting.

Las Vegas beat the Mercury 106-88 in the season opener.

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