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Diana Taurasi reaches 1,000 career 3s, Mercury win WNBA opener

In this April 26, 2018 file photo, United States’ Diana Taurasi looks to pass the ball during the first half of an exhibition basketball game in Seattle. Taurasi scored 20 of her 26 points in the first half and became the first WNBA player with 1,000 career 3-pointers, helping the Phoenix Mercury beat the Dallas Wings 86-78 in the league’s season opener on Friday. (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)
Associated Press

PHOENIX – Diana Taurasi scored 20 of her 26 points in the first half and became the first WNBA player with 1,000 career 3-pointers, helping the Phoenix Mercury beat the Dallas Wings 86-78 on Friday night in the league’s season opener.

Taurasi’s one of four players, joining the NBA’s Damian Lillard, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, to reach the 3-point mark with less than 400 games played.

DeWanna Bonner returned after missing last season to give birth to twins, and had 17 points and 12 rebounds for Phoenix. Brittney Griner, coming off a championship in Russia, battled foul trouble and finished with 13 points. Newcomer Briann January added 10 points.

Liz Cambage, a top international player returning to the WNBA after four seasons away, made six of her first nine shots for 14 first-half points and finished with 18 for Dallas.

Skylar Diggins-Smith also scored 18 and Glory Johnson had 12 points and eight rebounds before being helped off the floor with an apparent leg injury at the 6:11 mark of the fourth quarter.