Sky 86, Mercury 55

Shay Murphy scored 20 of her career-high 22 points in the first half and Chicago beat short-handed Phoenix Sunday to stay a game behind New York for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East with three games to play.

Epiphanny Prince added 15 points and four assists, and Swin Cash had 12 points and eight rebounds for Chicago. The Sky have won four of their last six games to improve to 13-18.

Murphy scored seven straight points during a 12-0 run late in the second quarter as Chicago went up 55-26 at the break. The Mercury never got closer than 21 in the second half. It was the largest margin of victory in Sky franchise history, surpassing a 27-point win over San Antonio on July 14, 2010.

Charde Houston had 15 points, four rebounds and three assists for Phoenix (7-24).

With three injured starters out, the Mercury used only seven players - three rookies - for the second straight game.

Murphy, who came into the game averaging 7.8 points, made 4 of 5 3-pointers in the first half.

Chicago will visit Seattle on Tuesday and finish the season at home with games against third-place Atlanta and last-place Washington.

Courtney Vandersloot had 14 points and three assist for the Sky.

Olympic gold medalist Diana Taurasi, who has missed 23 games this season, sat out for the third straight game along with the league's second-leading scorer, DeWanna Bonner, who has a sore back.

Liberty 75 Mystics 68

Cappie Pondexter had 30 points and 11 rebounds as New York rallied from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Washington.

Nicole Powell scored 10 of her 18 points in the fourth and Essence Carson added 15 points as New York (14-17) won its third straight.

Jasmine Thomas scored 16 points and Monique Currie had 12 to lead the Washington (5-27), which has lost 11 straight.

Powell's 3-pointer tied the score at 63 with 2:50 left and her short jumper gave the Liberty a 67-65 lead with 1:34 to play.

After a miss by Currie, Kara Braxton scored on a layup off a nice pass from Pondexter to make it 69-65 with 48 seconds left.

Matee Ajavon missed a short jumper and Pondexter hit two three throws. Thomas's 3-pointer made it 71-68 with 19 seconds to go, but the Mystics got no closer.

Washington outscored New York 19-12 in the third quarter and built a five-point lead as the Liberty hit just 5-of-22 field goals.

Washington played without leading scorer Crystal Langhorne (14.7 ppg), who left Friday's loss to Atlanta with a left foot sprain, and Noelle Quinn (6.5 ppg), out with an injured right shoulder.

Shock 80, Silver Stars 70

Temeka Johnson scored 18 points to lead Tulsa to a victory against playoff-bound San Antonio.

Ivory Latta added 15 points and Roneeka Hodges 11 for Tulsa (8-23), which won its second straight after a four-game skid.

Sophia Young scored 15 points and Danielle Adams 12 to lead San Antonio (19-12), which has lost seven of 10 since a 12-game winning streak. Becky Hammon and Jia Perkins both scored 10 points.

Young's layup with 4:57 was San Antonio's last points until Adams hit a short jumper with 25.2 seconds left.