Defending champs win WNBA finals opener

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Plenette Pierson and Kara Braxton combined for 45 points and 22 rebounds to lead the defending champion Detroit Shock to a 108-100 win Wednesday night over the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of the WNBA finals.

Detroit took the lead in the best-of-5 series despite the absence of All-Star Cheryl Ford, who sat out with a knee injury. It was the highest-scoring game in the history of the finals.

Four other players scored in double figures for the Shock, who pushed around Phoenix, which swept their previous two best-of-3 playoff series.

Detroit outrebounded Phoenix 48-30 and scored often on putbacks and other high-percentage shots. The Shock’s bench outscored Phoenix’s 50-12.

Penny Taylor scored 32 points and Cappie Pondexter had 27 to lead the Mercury, who struggled when All-Star Diana Taurasi missed significant stretches of the game with foul trouble.

Taurasi, who averaged 20 points in the Mercury’s first four playoff games and 25 a game during the regular season, was held scoreless in the first half, but scored a quick nine points in the third before being whistled for a loose ball foul with 5:37 to go in the quarter. The contact on Detroit’s Katie Smith resulted in Taurasi’s fifth foul and she sat on the bench for the rest of the quarter.

Taurasi fouled out with 2 minutes remaining in the game. She finished with 10 points in 22 minutes.

Pierson, the league’s Sixth Woman of the Year award winner, played the first three seasons of her career in Phoenix. She and Braxton were a dominating duo in the middle.

Pierson finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Braxton added 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Smith had 22 points, six rebounds and four assists for Detroit, which led at the ends of the second and third quarters and made its free throws in the fourth to seal the win.

The teams, which will return to The Palace for Game 2 on Saturday afternoon, left on less-than-friendly terms at the end of Game 1.

Nolan and Pondexter exchanged angry words and Nolan gave Pondexter a one-armed shove before they were separated. Shock guard Elaine Powell also had to be restrained.

Detroit led 41-35 at the half, after a 17-6 run over the final 7 minutes that featured six points by Braxton and four by Swin Cash.

“Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings had surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon in her right foot.