Six Storm players reach double figures in 83-60 rout of Mercury

BRADENTON, Fla. – Jordin Canada scored 13 points and the Seattle Storm routed the Phoenix Mercury 83-60 Friday night for their seventh victory in a row.

First-place Seattle (18-3) will close the regular season Sunday against Las Vegas, taking a 1½-game lead over the Aces into the final. Phoenix (13-9) dropped into fifth in its regular-season finale.

Seattle led by 24 points at halftime and started the second half on a 14-0 run as Phoenix didn’t score for the first 6-plus minutes. Canada scored 11 first-half points, Natasha Howard had 10 and Seattle led 50-26 at the break after shooting 54.5% from the field. Phoenix shot 6 of 31 (19.4%) from the field, including 2 of 14 from distance.

Breanna Stewart (left ankle tendinitis) and Sue Bird (left knee injury) did not play for Seattle. Howard scored 12 points, and Jewell Loyd, Mercedes Russell, Ezi Magbegor and Crystal Langhorne each had 10 points. Alysha Clark was the only Storm starter not in double figures with nine points and seven rebounds.

Shatori Walker-Kimbrough scored 24 points to lead Phoenix. Diana Taurasi scored five points in 12 minutes and Sophie Cunningham added 10 points.