Lynx 93, Shock 82

After a rocky midseason stretch, Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve believes the defending-champion Lynx have just started to play their best basketball.

Former UConn star Maya Moore scored 32 points and the Lynx handed the Tulsa Shock their fifth straight loss with a win on Wednesday afternoon.

"A strong, strong testament to how good Lindsay (Whalen) and Maya are to be sitting here at 17-6," Reeve said. "With all we've been through, it's a testament to the leadership of Lindsay and Maya."

After a .500 record across a 12-game stretch in late June and early July, the Lynx have now won four straight heading into the All-Star break this weekend - but the Shock (7-15) didn't make it easy.

The Lynx jumped out to double-digit leads in the first, second and third quarters, but saw them each erased by the Shock's efficient offense. Led by second-year player Skylar Diggins' 19 points, the Shock were plagued by 16 turnovers, which led to fast-break opportunities and 26 points for Minnesota.

Moore, the WNBA's leading scorer, continued her MVP-like season as she was one of six Lynx players to score in double figures. With her team's lead dwindling to as little as three points, Moore scored 12 of her points in the fourth quarter.

The Lynx never trailed.

"Maya's the Michael Jordan of this league," Shock coach Fred Williams said. "When you have guards and players like her and Whalen, they make a lot of great plays together. But we learned a lot from this game."

Whalen, who was announced as an All-Star reserve on Tuesday, commanded a Minnesota offense that shot 49 percent from the field and produced 21 assists - on par with their league-leading 20 assists per game. She'll be joined by teammates Moore), Seimone Augustus and coach Reeve at the All-Star game on Saturday.

"When we can get the rebound secured, we can push," Moore said. "We have great athletes on this team. Lindsay Whalen, she's hockey like, the way she runs and feels the floor."

Liberty 77, Dream 75

Cappie Pondexter loves having the ball in her hands with the game on line.

Pondexter banked in a jumper from the foul line with four-tenths of a second left to lift New York to a win over Atlanta.

"I always want it at the end," she said. "It's always been like that since I first came into the league."

Pondexter had been struggling with her shot, missing 12 of her first 14 on Wednesday, including one with about 30 seconds left that would have given New York the lead.

She was happy to get another chance and this time she wouldn't miss.

Pondexter took a handoff from Plenette Pierson at the top of the key and banked in the winning shot. Atlanta couldn't get a shot off at the other end. Tina Charles had 18 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Liberty.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak for New York (8-13) and moved the Liberty closer to the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.

"It was vital," Pondexter said. "We had dropped the last two, we were on a great run and then took two steps back and changed our momentum. If it was five weeks ago we probably wouldn't have won the game. It shows the maturity we've gained over the last month."

Notes

Bird and Latta All-Star replacements

Sue Bird and Ivory Latta have been selected as replacements for Saturday's All-Star game by WNBA President Laurel J. Richie.

Bird, the former UConn star who stars for Seattle, will join the Western Conference roster, filling the spot of Minnesota Lynx guard Seimone Augustus, who has missed the last seven games due to bursitis in her left knee.

Latta, who leads Washington in scoring, joins the Eastern Conference roster in place of Elena Delle Donne, who has been sidelined for 12 of the Chicago Sky's last 13 games due to the effects of Lyme disease.

Bird will be making her eighth All-Star appearance while Latta's making her second.