Mercury end Storm’s season

Cappie Pondexter scored 25 points as the Phoenix Mercury blew a 22-point, second-half lead but recovered for a 95-89 win Sunday in Phoenix and a sweep of the Seattle Storm in the best-of-three WNBA Western Conference semifinals.

Diana Taurasi, who had 20 points and six assists, hit a 3-pointer and made a free throw in the final 2:30 after Seattle had tied it at 85 with 2:50 left. The Storm trailed 60-38 with 8:21 left in the third.

Lauren Jackson scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, but played the last 14 minutes with five fouls for Seattle.

Phoenix will play the winner of today’s Sacramento-San Antonio game on the road Thursday night in the first game of the best-of-three Western Conference finals.

Sue Bird scored 21 points and had six assists for the fourth-seeded Storm.

Kelly Miller added 16 points for Phoenix, which had never swept a playoff series in franchise history.

Shock 76, Liberty 73: At Auburn Hills, Mich., Cheryl Ford scored 11 points, capped by a wide-open layup with 44 seconds remaining, and Detroit held off New York in Game 2 at The Palace to force a decisive game on Tuesday.

Deanna Nolan, who capped the win with a free throw with 2.2 seconds remaining, led Detroit with 16 points and Swin Cash had 14.