St Paul, Minn.  — Maya Moore scored 31 points, including 15 in the second quarter, as the Minnesota Lynx opened their WNBA title defense with a 113-95 win over the Phoenix Mercury in the first game of the WNBA semifinals on Wednesday night.

Lindsay Whalen added 19 points and seven assists for top-seed Minnesota, which has beat Phoenix in all four meetings this season. Center Sylvia Fowles scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Lynx broke the WNBA record for points in a regulation playoff game.

Diana Taurasi scored 25 points for the Mercury, who won the matchup between the two teams in 2014 on the way to their own championship. Brittney Griner added 16 points for Phoenix but was held to just two rebounds.

Playing for the first time in 11 days in the WNBA's new playoff format, Minnesota started a bit slow as the Mercury led 14-8 early with Taurasi hitting a pair of 3-pointers.

The Lynx went to their bench with Moore, Whalen and Seimone Augustus taking their first rest. The bench combined with Fowles and Rebekkah Brunson to spark a 12-3 run. Moore, Whalen and Augustus were the centerpieces as Minnesota took control in the second quarter, beginning the period on a 19-4 run.

The Lynx led by as many as 25 and outrebounded Phoenix 38-20. Fowles helped slow Griner, who had 22 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four blocks in the Round 2 win against New York.

With scheduling conflicts at Target Center, Minnesota's home playoff games were moved across town to St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center, the home of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.

With boards covering the arena's ice surface, the two teams played on the Lynx court. Minnesota lost just two games at the Target Center, but travel hasn't hurt the Lynx anyway. Minnesota tied the WNBA record with 13 road wins this season, including winning all eight road games against Western Conference opponents.

The Lynx will also play the 2017 season at the Xcel Energy Center.

• The Los Angeles Sparks landed the fourth overall pick at Wednesday’s WNBA Draft Lottery with the pick it acquired from the Connecticut Sun at last year’s draft.

Connecticut had traded its first pick in the 2017 draft, second-year guard Chelsea Gray, and the 15th and 23rd overall picks at April’s draft for the draft rights to Jonquel Jones and the 17th pick in that draft.

Jones, a 6-foot-6 forward from George Washington, played in all 34 games and averaged 6.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. She received a vote for the WNBA’s Sixth Woman Of The Year honor, which was announced Wednesday and won by Los Angeles’ Jantel Lavender.

The San Antonio Stars won the top pick, followed by the Washington Mystics and Dallas Stars.