Brittney Griner out 3-4 weeks after knee, ankle injuries in Mercury loss

PHOENIX -- Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner is expected to miss 3-4 weeks after being diagnosed with a left knee bruise and a right ankle sprain.
Griner suffered the injuries early in the fourth quarter and had to be helped off the court Friday night in an 88-71 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.
Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus each scored 19 points for the Lynx (14-2), who have won nine straight against Phoenix dating to 2015, including a three-game sweep in last season's playoffs.
Sylvia Fowles added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Lynx. They shot 52 percent and held Phoenix (11-7) to 36 percent.
Diana Taurasi added 14 points for the Mercury.
Renee Montgomery hit a jumper with 5:50 left in the first to give Minnesota a 9-8 lead, and the Lynx led the rest of the way. Augustus' jumper at the buzzer made it 23-13 after one, a lead that Minnesota pushed to 17 at the half.
Phoenix had won four straight.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Regular Season Series

MIN leads 3-0

Game 4

8/22

• 
  Mercury

  -
• 
  Lynx

  -

Game 3

Final

• 
  Mercury

  66
• 
  Lynx

  81

Game 2

Final

• 
  Lynx

  88
• 
  Mercury

  71

Game 1

Final

• 
  Lynx

  91
• 
  Mercury

  83

2016-2017 Western Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	GB	STRK
Minnesota	15	2	.882	0	W2
Los Angeles	13	5	.722	2.5	W1
Phoenix	11	8	.579	5	L2
Dallas	10	11	.476	7	W1
Seattle	9	10	.474	7	W1
San Antonio	2	17	.105	14	L1

Full Standings

 

 

 

 

Lynx

Starters	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	+/-	PTS
R. BrunsonF	25	2-7	1-3	3-4	0	6	6	0	0	0	1	3	+6	8
M. MooreF	33	7-12	4-7	1-3	1	4	5	7	0	1	3	5	+16	19
S. FowlesC	26	8-12	0-0	2-2	3	7	10	1	1	1	3	4	+9	18
L. WhalenG	26	3-5	1-2	1-1	0	4	4	3	1	0	1	4	+6	8
S. AugustusG	32	9-15	1-3	0-0	0	2	2	3	1	0	1	2	+19	19
Bench	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	+/-	PTS
N. HowardF	6	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	3	+3	0
T. FagbenleF	3	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	0
P. PiersonF	21	3-4	0-1	4-4	0	1	1	4	2	0	1	2	+16	10
A. JonesG	3	0-1	0-0	2-2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0	2
R. MontgomeryG	14	2-6	0-1	0-0	0	2	2	2	2	0	1	2	+11	4
J. PerkinsG	13	0-2	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	1	1	0	2	2	-1	0
TEAM		34-65	7-17	13-16	4	28	32	21	8	2	13	27		88
		52.3%	41.2%	81.3%

Mercury

Starters	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	+/-	PTS
C. LittleF	23	0-5	0-0	2-4	1	1	2	0	1	1	2	0	-9	2
B. GrinerC	25	5-10	0-0	5-7	0	4	4	1	0	1	3	4	-5	15
D. TaurasiG	27	5-17	0-6	4-4	0	3	3	2	0	0	1	1	-16	14
D. RobinsonG	20	5-6	0-0	0-0	0	2	2	2	1	0	3	1	-7	10
S. TalbotG	19	2-6	1-3	0-0	0	3	3	4	1	0	1	1	-6	5
Bench	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	+/-	PTS
E. CannonF	15	0-1	0-0	1-2	1	2	3	0	0	0	0	3	-8	1
A. RobinsonF	8	0-0	0-0	2-2	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	-8	2
M. CurrieF	16	2-5	2-3	4-4	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	2	-12	10
C. GeorgeC	9	0-2	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	4	-4	0
A. PrinceG	3	1-1	1-1	0-0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	+3	3
Y. TurnerG	13	2-5	0-2	3-4	1	0	1	1	0	0	2	0	-3	7
L. MitchellG	21	0-3	0-3	2-2	1	4	5	2	0	1	2	2	-10	2
TEAM		22-61	4-18	23-29	6	21	27	12	4	5	14	19		71
		36.1%	22.2%	79.3%