The Phoenix Mercury came alive offensively in the fourth quarter Tuesday night, rallying from a 12-point deficit to beat Washington, 85-84, in a WNBA playoff first round elimination game.

Shey Peddy, who began the season playing for Washington, hit a game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

The No. 5 Mercury advance to a second round elimination game Thursday against No. 4 seed Atlanta. 

The defending WNBA champion Washington Mystics withstood a furious Phoenix Mercury rally in the fourth quarter Tuesday night to win GET in a WNBA playoff first round elimination game.

Skylar Diggins-Smith led a 17-0 Mercury run, turning a 73-61 deficit into a 78-73 lead with 4:23 remaining at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

The Mystics, ahead by 11 at halftime and after the third quarter, pulled even at 78 with 2:44 left.

Diana Taurasi scored on a drive. Washington’s Myisha Hines-Allen made an open 3-pointer at 2:06 that was ruled to be after the shot clock expired following a delayed review at 1:48.

Brianna Turner tipped in a follow for the Mercury followed by a Shey Peddy steal. 

Off two Mercury turnovers, former Mercury guard Leilani Mitchell hit a 3-pointer and Emma Meesseman scored on a break, putting the Mystics ahead 83-82 with 38.8 seconds left.

Diggins-Smith drove to the basket and ran into Hines-Allen for an offensive foul at 35.3.

Mitchell missed on a runner with Kiara Leslie rebounding for the Mystics. Mitchell made one of two free throws at 5.8.

Out of a timeout, Taurasi inbounded to Diggins-Smith, who passed cross court to an open Peddy, who made the game winner just before the buzzer.

Diggins-Smith led the Mercury with 24 points. Taurasi had 23 and Peddy 12.

Peddy sole bright spot in first half 

Other than a 7-0 run by backup guard Peddy, the Mercury were ineffective on both ends in the first half.

The Mystics led 25-16 after the first quarter, a lead that Peddy helped to erase early in the second as the Mercury pulled even at 28. Peddy began the season playing for Washington. 

Mitchell made three 3-pointers for Washington in the second quarter, two of them just beating the shot clock buzzer. 

The Mystics used a 9-0 run to lead 37-28. Mitchell hit back-to-back treys in the final 2:30, and Washington went into halftime up 46-35.

The Mercury could have trailed by more had it not been for a 16-7 edge in free throws. 

Centers Kia Vaughn and Hines-Allen had three fouls apiece in the first half, limiting their playing time.

Taurasi, Diggins-Smith made AP All-WNBA second team 

Taurasi and Diggins-Smith were named Tuesday to the Associated Press All-WNBA second team. They finished fifth and seventh in regular season scoring and eighth and 10th in assists.

AP first-team guards were Arike Ogunbowale of Dallas, the regular season scoring leader, and Chicago’s Courtney Vandersloot, who set a league by becoming the first to average 10.0 assists.

WNBA awards, chosen by a league panel, will be announced during the playoffs.

Diana Taurasi in WNBA single elimination games

2007: Mercury 108, Detroit 92 (WNBA Finals game 5). Taurasi: 17 points/7 rebounds/6 assists.

2009: Mercury 100, San Antonio 92 (Western Conference semifinals game 3). Taurasi: 30/5/6.

2009: Mercury 85, Los Angeles 74 (Western Conference Finals game 3). Taurasi: 21/7/3.

2009: Mercury 94, Indiana 86 (WNBA Finals game 5). Taurasi: 26/6/4.

2011: Mercury 77, Seattle 75 (Western Conference semifinals game 3). Taurasi: 19/1/3.

2013: Mercury 78, Los Angeles 77 (Western Conference semifinals game 3). Taurasi: 18/5/10.

2014: Mercury 96, Minnesota 78 (Western Conference Finals game 3). Taurasi: 31/5/7.

2016: Mercury 89, Indiana 78 (first round). Taurasi: 20/3/3.

2016: Mercury 101, New York 94 (second round). Taurasi: 30/2/3.

2017: Mercury 79, Seattle 69 (first round). Taurasi: 14/3/3.

2017: Mercury 88, Connecticut 83 (second round). Taurasi: 23/2/4.

2018: Mercury 101, Dallas 83 (first round). Taurasi: 26/0/12.

2018: Mercury 96, Connecticut 86 (second round). Taurasi: 27/2/5.

2018: Seattle 94, Mercury 84 (WNBA semifinals game 5). Taurasi: 17/3/3.

2020: Mercury 85, Washington 84 (first round). Taurasi: 23/4/6.

2020: Mercury vs. Minnesota, Thursday (second round).

Up next

The Mercury will face No. 4 seed Minnesota (14-8) in a playoff second round elimination game at 4 p.m. Thursday (ESPN2). In the regular season, the Lynx won 90-80 on Aug. 21 and the Mercury took the rematch 83-79 on Aug. 30. Minnesota leads 10-2 all-time in the playoffs vs. Phoenix. The Mercury’s last playoff win vs. the Lynx was in 2014 on the way to the WNBA championship.

More: Diana Taurasi adds to her legacy with All-WNBA caliber play at age 38

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 602-444-8053. Follow him on Twitter @jeffmetcalfe.

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