Nikki Blue got her first victory as interim coach of the Phoenix Mercury, who broke a six-game losing streak Thursday with an 85-63 victory over the visiting Indiana Fever.
“Their energy level was at an all-time high,” Blue said of the Mercury players. “It was very fun basketball to watch and even more fun to coach. As much as I credit us as coaches putting it together, it was all these players. They make our jobs easy on nights like this.”
Brittney Griner had 22 points and Diana Taurasi had 17. The Mercury shot 53.1% from the field and every Phoenix player who appeared in the game scored.
Phoenix, in last place in the WNBA at 3-11, won for the first time since June 11 at Indiana. The Mercury’s only other victory came May 25 against Minnesota.
Coach Vanessa Nygaard was fired Sunday after the Mercury lost their fifth game in a row. Blue was elevated from her assistant’s role, and the Mercury lost in her first game Tuesday against the Dallas Wings. But the drought ended Thursday.
Blue, a longtime assistant at the college and then pro level, said…
