Dream win, will face Sky on Sunday

FILE - In this July 15, 2016, file photo, Connecticut Sun's Chiney Ogwumike, left, shoots past Los Angeles Sparks' Nneka Ogwumike, right, during first half of a WNBA basketball game in Uncasville, Conn. Chiney Ogwumike earned comeback player of the year honors, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016, after recovering from microfracture surgery in her right knee. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

FILe - In this Sept. 8, 2016, file photo, Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, left, drives to the basket around Atlanta Dream center Elizabeth Williams during the second half of a WNBA basketball game in Los Angeles. Nneka Ogwumike has had a remarkable season for Los Angeles, putting up career numbers. That was good enough to earn her the inaugural Associated Press WNBA Player of the Year on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)

FILE - In this July 10, 2016, file photo, Atlanta Dream's Elizabeth Williams, left, is guarded by Connecticut Sun's Chiney Ogwumike during the second half of a WNBA basketball game in Uncasville, Conn. Atlanta’s Elizabeth Williams was voted the most improved player, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

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ATLANTA — Angel McCoughtry scored 37 points and the Atlanta Dream beat the Seattle Storm 94-85 on Wednesday night in a single-elimination WNBA playoff game.

McCoughtry scored seven straight points — on a 3-pointer, bank shot and pull-up jumper — to cap Atlanta’s 19-5 run to start the fourth for an 85-71 lead. She collided with Breanna Stewart on Seattle’s next possession and stayed on the ground before being helped to the bench by the Atlanta staff. She later returned. Bria Holmes added 21 points for Atlanta, which will face the Chicago Sky on at noon Sunday.

Atlanta was without its second leading scorer Tiffany Hayes, who was serving a one-game suspension after picking up her seventh technical foul. The Dream’s second leading rebounder, Sancho Lyttle, did not play due to a foot injury.

McCoughtry, who picked up her fourth foul early in the third, made two free throws with 1:11 left in the quarter to give Atlanta a 66-64 lead — its first since 21-20.

Jewell Loyd scored 24 points and Stewart added 19 points in their first career playoff games for Seattle. Stewart had 15 points in the first half and Loyd scored 12 as Seattle held a 45-37 halftime lead.

Prior to the game, Atlanta forward Elizabeth Williams was named the WNBA’s Most Improved Player.

Mercury 89, Fever 78:

INDIANAPOLIS — Diana Taurasi scored 20 points, DeWanna Bonner had 11 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter and the Phoenix Mercury beat the Indiana Fever in a single-elimination game of the WNBA playoffs.

Tamika Catchings, who played in her final game, and the entire Indiana team knelt with their arms intertwined during the national anthem. Two members of the Mercury, Kelsey Bone and Mistie Bass, also took a knee.

“This game of basketball is important for a lot of reasons. One of them is bringing people together. Even uniting people,” Catchings said about the “impromptu” kneeling during the national anthem. “Well, we thought it was important to have a voice about something greater than basketball.”

WNBA President Lisa Borders, who was in Atlanta for the playoff game between the Dream and Seattle backed the players choice to kneel.

Briann January made a reverse layup with 2:39 remaining to pull Indiana to 77-72 and she drew an offensive foul on Taurasi on the other end. Erlana Larkins had a putback on Indiana’s next possession to cap a 10-1 run to make it 77-74.

But Phoenix answered with a 6-1 run — on free throws by Taurasi, Penny Taylor and Bonner — for an 83-75 lead.