By: DOUG FEINBERG, Associated Press Posted: Oct 1st, 2021 / 12:56 PM CDT / Updated: Oct 1st, 2021 / 12:56 PM CDT Phoenix Mercury Guard Diana Taurasi (3) calls a play as she plays the game against the Las Vegas Aces in the second half of Game 2 in the WNBA Playoff Semifinals on Thursday, September 30, 2021 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo / David Becker) UNCASVILLE, Connecticut (AP) – The WNBA semi-final playoff series is linked to one game and both could play the full five games based on their historic and dismal performances so far. Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury hosted a shooting practice as they scored the most points in a regular playoff game in the league’s 25-year history in a win against Las Vegas on Thursday night. Eight months after her surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon, Alyssa Thomas sparked the Connecticut Sun in a win over the Chicago Sky. Both series are now 1-1 and the game will be relocated to Chicago and Phoenix for the next games scheduled for Sunday. “We brought a different mindset into the game, an aggression,” said Taurasi, who had a career high of 37 points in the 117-91 win. “That’s what these games are about. In game 1, they were the attackers. They played more physically. Today we did that and kept it up for long periods of time. ”Taurasi narrowly missed despite sustaining an ankle injury that forced her to skip the last four regular season games and the playoff opener against New York. She hit 10 of her 13 shots and hit a career high of eight 3-pointers. Her performance came shortly after Thomas had 15 points, 11 rebounds and six assists and gave the Sun a defensive boost to level their streak with Chicago. Thomas’ game was even more notable as she had returned two weeks earlier from an Achilles tendon she suffered in January. The 79-68 win over Chicago was only their fourth game back. “You know, this is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever been through,” said Thomas of the injury she sustained in January while playing abroad. “There are many tough days. I’m a perfectionist and I’m just so used to recovering from things. Days that weren’t good and I couldn’t keep up or push myself were frustrating. “You really start from scratch just to learn to walk again. It was a slow process, a tough process. But you just have to celebrate the little things. ”For Connecticut to keep the momentum, the sun must try again to contain the mighty Sky offensive. While Chicago has scored less than 80 points this season, the team has only won twice. In the opener, a double overtime thriller, Sky won 101-95 when Courtney Vandersloot had the second triple-double in WNBA playoff history. Some other semi-finals tidbits: TRAVEL ADVENTURES: While Mercury and Aces had no problem getting flights to Phoenix, Sky and Sun had a more difficult time. Connecticut coach Curt Miller said during his post-game press conference that his team would be split on three flights from two different airports to get to Chicago. The Sky had to get up at 3:30 a.m. and split up into three different airports to get home on Friday. Miller said he had the crazy travel arrangements so his tall players don’t have to sit in the middle seats and are more comfortable on the flights. “I want you to hear that,” he said. “That’s how it works in this league. That’s what these amazing women, the best in the world, go through in what they do. ”TIP-INS: For the second time since the WNBA changed its playoff format in 2016, there won’t be at least one appearance in the Give semi-finals. With the exception of 2018, when both semifinals went over five games, one of the series was a three-game sweep. … Mercury’s 68 points in the first half of Game 2 were a WNBA playoff record. … WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year Kelsey Plum has averaged 25 points in the first two games in the series. A “ROAD” HOME GAME Game 3 of the Mercury Aces series is being played in the state of Arizona, as Phoenix ‘normal home is used by Disney on Ice. Arenas book events well in advance and there was no telling that the Mercury would host a playoff game on Sunday. The Mercury may have to play outside of their normal home for Game 4 as the Phoenix Suns host the Los Angeles Lakers in an exhibition game on Wednesday night. ___ More AP women’s basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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