PHOENIX (AP) - DeWanna Bonner had a career-high 25 points and 13 rebounds to help the Phoenix Mercury hold off the Atlanta Dream 109-95 on Thursday night.

``She's really coming into her own,' Phoenix coach Corey Gaines said. ``She's a great player, I always knew that even when I first saw her. She's getting better and better.'

Advertisement

Candice Dupree had 22 points and Diana Taurasi scored 21 to help Phoenix (13-9) win its second straight after losing five of six. Dupree also had six rebounds and Taurasi added five assists.

``We have great scorers,' Bonner said. ``Anybody on our team can go off on any given night. To have those numbers that's great. The pressure isn't on one person.'

Angel McCoughtry, second in the WNBA in scoring behind Taurasi, had 25 points, five rebounds and three assists to lead Atlanta (10-12), which lost for just the third time in 10 games.

``I thought we really fought hard,' Atlanta coach Marynell Meadors said. ``Phoenix is playing well right now and they have a lot of offensive weapons.'

Phoenix scored six consecutive points to pull away midway through the final period after Atlanta got to 90-84 with 6:46 left. The Dream had trailed by 21 in the first half and 14 in the third quarter.

Erika DeSouza had 17 points and six rebounds for the Dream, which has split the first two games in a stretch of seven of eight road games over 18 days.

Penny Taylor had 19 points and six assists for the Mercury, which had 21 fastbreak points and outrebounded taller Atlanta 40-35.

Dupree scored 12 points, all in the first 6 minutes to help Phoenix grab a 30-20 lead after the first quarter.

Bonner scored 11 points in the first 5 1/2 minutes of the second quarter as Phoenix opened up a 50-29 lead. However, McCoughtry had a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws to key a 17-5 run late in the half as Atlanta pulled to 59-48 at the break.

Taylor scored nine of her points in the third quarter but DeSouza had nine as well for Atlanta to keep the Dream within 87-76 going into the final period.