PHOENIX (AP) - Brittney Griner had 18 points and a WNBA playoff-record 11 blocks to lead the Phoenix Mercury to an 88-55 win over the Tulsa Shock on Thursday night in the opener of the Western Conference semifinals.
Griner, named WNBA Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season earlier in the day, also had eight rebounds and DeWanna Bonner added 15 points for the defending champion Mercury.
Griner, who led the league in blocks with 105 this season, broke her own single-game postseason record and shot 5 for 7 from the field and 8 for 9 on free throws.
The Mercury took control of the game in the second quarter, turning a seven-point lead to a 30-point advantage at halftime.
Odyssey Sims led Tulsa with 18 points and Jordan Hooper added 14 points and six rebounds.
Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Saturday in Tulsa.
SKY 77, FEVER 72
CHICAGO (AP) - Allie Quigley scored 20 points to lead Chicago in the opener of the East semifinals.
Courtney Vandersloot added 19 points for the second-seeded Sky in the best-of-three series. League MVP Elena Delle Donne, who was averaging a WNBA-best 23.4 points, had 14 points - 12 after halftime.
Tamika Catchings led the third-seeded Fever with 21 points and Marissa Coleman added 16.
Game 2 is Saturday in Indianapolis.
Coleman hit a 3 with 8:06 left to give Indiana a 56-54 lead, its first since the game's early minutes. The Sky went back ahead, 59-58, on Erika DeSouza's layup.
Jessica Breland's putback gave the Sky a 75-71 lead with 1:23 remaining. Catchings missed a free throws with 1:13 left and also a 3 with 15.6 seconds to go.