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Charles moves up to second place on the WNBA scoring list and leads Dream past Mercury 72-63


Charles moves up to second place on the WNBA scoring list and leads Dream past Mercury 72-63

(AP) – Tina Charles became the second best goalscorer of all time in WNBA history They scored 12 points and 17 rebounds and the Atlanta Dream defeated the Phoenix Mercury 72-63 on Wednesday night.

Allisha Gray scored 21 points and Rhyne Howard 19 to lead the Dream (10-17), who picked up their third straight win, their best of the season, after entering the Olympic break with an eight-game losing streak.

Charles, UConn’s No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft, opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer from the three-point line, surpassing Tina Thompson’s 7,488 points. Charles’ 7,491 points are more than 3,000 behind Diana Taurasi (10,500), who was limited to one late three-pointer in this game.

Charles’ basket broke a 48-48 tie and started a game-winning 17-2 run. Substitute Maya Caldwell scored all six of her points after Charles’ three.

Gray made a jump shot and two free throws to make it 65-50 with 5:26 left. When they beat the Sun on Sunday, the Dream opened the fourth quarter with a 19-2 run.

Kahleah Copper led the Mercury (15-14) with 22 points and Brittney Griner had 14. The Mercury were outrebounded 47-33, including 16-3 on offense.

Atlanta held Phoenix to 2 of 15 shooting and five turnovers in the first quarter, increasing their lead to 19-6.

The Dreams didn’t play well in the second quarter, missing their first 11 shots, and Copper’s two consecutive baskets put Phoenix ahead 25-24. Gray then hit two three-pointers and Howard another, giving the Dream a 34-26 lead going into halftime.

Atlanta’s winning streak came against Seattle, Connecticut and the Mercury, all teams with winning records and in the home stretch of the playoffs. Now Atlanta is one game out of the final playoff spot and hosts Phoenix again on Friday.

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