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WNBA: With Clark sidelined, Mitchell lifts Fever past Bueckers, Wings

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Clock Icon8 hoursBasketball

Kelsey Mitchell scored 32 points, and the Indiana Fever held on without the injured Caitlin Clark, taking a 22-point lead in the first quarter before finishing off a 94-86 victory over the Dallas Wings on Friday night.

Clark's left groin injury spoiled what was supposed to be the first meeting of the past two No. 1 picks in the WNBA draft. The game was the first at the home of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks for the Wings, who took Paige Bueckers first overall this year.

The Wings, who are planning a move to downtown Dallas in the next couple of years, have played about 20 miles away on the campus of the University of Texas at Arlington since moving to the area nine years ago.

Bueckers sparked a rally by beating the first-half buzzer with a long 3-pointer after a steal and finished with 27 points despite a cold start from the field.

The Wings took a lead in the fourth quarter after trailing by 23 in the first half but couldn't overcome 26% shooting in the first 10 minutes. Arike Ogunbowale scored 15 for Dallas.

The absence of Clark, who missed a second consecutive game after sitting out five earlier this season with a quadriceps injury, didn't keep the crowd or the pro sports stars away.

The 20,000-seat American Airlines Center was nearly full, and among the fans were nine-time All-Star Kyrie Irving of the Mavericks, star pass rusher Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys and Cooper Flagg, who was drafted No. 1 overall by the Mavericks on Wednesday.

Collier lifts Lynx in weather-delayed game

Napheesa Collier scored 26 points and the Minnesota Lynx successfully challenged two foul calls in the last minute of overtime to beat Atlanta 96-92 in a game that saw the Dream rally after a weather-related delay in the second quarter.

The Lynx were up 92-90 when challenges reversed foul calls on Atlanta drives with 54.8 and 20.5 seconds to go. Kayla McBride then made four free throws in the last 17.5 seconds to secure the win.

McBride scored 18 points for the Lynx (13-2) to surpass 5,000 for her career. Courtney Williams added 16 points and Bridget Carleton 14. Minnesota made 13 3-pointers and 17 of 18 free throws.

Brionna Jones had 18 points, Allisha Gray scored 17 and Brittney Griner 16 for the balanced Dream (10-6).

After missing two games, Collier helped the Lynx get off to a strong start. Her basket pushed the lead to 45-28 midway through the second quarter. But moments later the lights flickered off and on in the Gateway Center Arena, the result of severe thunderstorms outside. The game was delayed for eight minutes.

Mercury sink 18 3-pointers in win over Liberty

Satou Sabally scored 25 points and the surging Phoenix Mercury set a team record for 3-pointers in the second straight game - and broke a WNBA record in the process - in a 106-91 victory over the New York Liberty.

Alyssa Thomas, who had 17 points, matched the Phoenix record of 15 assists for the second time and finished a rebound short of her 12th regular-season triple-double. The Mercury had a franchise-record 30 assists on 41 baskets.

The Mercury (12-6) finished 18 of 39 from behind the arc a game after hitting 17 3s in a win over Chicago. The 35 3s in consecutive games is a WNBA record. The league record for 3s in the regular season is 19, which the Liberty hit twice this season.

Sabally went 7 of 10 from distance and Sami Whitcomb was 5 of 7 for 15 points. Kitija Laksa added 13 points and Kahleah Copper 12 as Phoenix won its sixth straight.

Breanna Stewart scored 17 points, Nyara Sabally, in her first start against her sister, had a career-high 16 and Natasha Cloud added 15 for the Liberty (11-4), who have lost four of five games, starting with an 89-81 home loss to the Mercury eight days ago.