WNBA Finals 2014: Sky vs. Mercury Game 2 Score and Twitter Reaction

There was little doubt throughout the WNBA season that the Phoenix Mercury were the best team in the league, and they are now a single victory away from reaching the mountaintop after Tuesday's 97-68 win over the Chicago Sky.

The Mercury hold a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five-game WNBA Finals and were hardly challenged in Game 2.

Brittney Griner led the way with 19 points, six rebounds and four blocks, while Diana Taurasi scored 18 points. It was Taurasi's scoring streak in the second quarter that opened the game up, and it was over by halftime.

Matt York/Associated Press

All five Phoenix starters scored in double figures, and it truly was a mismatch.

Elena Delle Donne led Chicago with 22 points.

The Mercury also set the tone from the opening tip in Game 1 and won 83-62. However, Chicago superstar Elena Delle Donne only played 10 minutes with a bad back but seemed ready to go Tuesday if her comments were any indication, according to The Associated Press (via ESPN.com):

"

We're definitely a resilient team. I still think we bounced back in the second half and put together a much better 20 minutes. I feel like we were able to settle in and get a little bit more comfortable and play with confidence, something we need to take in for the next game.

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The good news for the Sky was that Delle Donne started Tuesday’s game, but Tyler Killian of azcentral sports noted she looked far from 100 percent:

Once the game actually got going, there was an important moment in the first quarter. Griner was hit in the eye and was in noticeable pain. Hoopfeed.com and Killian described the scene, and the crowd was far from pleased:

Griner’s eyelid was noticeably swollen and bleeding, but Chicago was unable to take advantage when she was on the bench. Griner eventually checked back into the game in the first quarter when the Mercury still held a 10-7 lead.

The Mercury provided comments from Griner after the game:

Phoenix extended the lead to 21-14 by the end of the quarter, but it wasn't all good news for the Mercury. Brian Sandalow of The Associated Press and the Chicago Sun-Times noted that foul trouble was an issue:

It wasn't just Phoenix dealing with fouls though, as Sylvia Fowles had to spend some time on the bench for Chicago with two fouls. 

Chicago seized momentum at the beginning of the second quarter and eventually took a 27-26 lead. The WNBA commented on the team's relentlessness, while Killian noted the offense looked much better:

Just when it looked like Chicago would head into the half with some momentum, Taurasi took over the second quarter. Mercury basketball communications manager John H. Steinmiller gave the superstar her props, while the WNBA made sure to point out that some history was made:

Behind Taurasi's extended run, the Mercury took a commanding 51-36 lead into intermission. Taurasi led the way with 16 points, while Griner had 10 points and three blocks. It was actually Erin Phillips, though, who finished the half with a spark, as the WNBA noted:

As if Phoenix wasn't playing well enough, Griner actually chipped part of her tooth and had to wipe it away. She continued to play after taking a brief break, and Killian described the proceedings:

Any hope Chicago had at making a second-half comeback seemed to be snuffed out in the third quarter. Taurasi and Company gradually extended their lead, and Killian and Cindy Brunson of the Pac-12 Network described the action:

The crowd was rocking late into the quarter as it became all the more clear which team was walking away with a victory. The Phoenix Mercury acknowledged the support they were getting from the supporters:

Phoenix extended the deficit even more in the final minute of the third quarter and took a 74-51 lead into the fourth. Michelle Smith of espnW pointed out that any momentum Chicago had was well gone, while Sandalow summarized the proceedings nicely:

The outcome was a foregone conclusion throughout the fourth quarter, but things got really out of hand when the Mercury went on yet another scoring run to open up an 86-55 lead. Eshaya Murphy and DeWanna Bonner hit back-to-back three-pointers, and the crowd reached a fever pitch.

The WNBA picked the perfect word to describe the offensive attack:

As if the performance wasn't impressive enough, Smith pointed out just how dominant the Mercury have been at home:

If there was one positive to take away from the game from Chicago's perspective, it was the performance of a relatively healthy Delle Donne, as the team noted:

The starters on both teams watched the last half of the fourth quarter from the bench as the clock gradually expired. Phoenix won the game 97-68, but the outcome was never in doubt from the middle of the second quarter on.

The team seemed ready for the next one in the immediate aftermath, and Griner pulled some double duty after the game:

What's Next

Matt York/Associated Press

If there is any silver lining for the Sky at this point, it is the fact that Game 3 will be back home in Chicago Friday.

Phoenix is on the brink of a championship and now has three games to win it. If it plays like it did in the first two contests at home, this series will be a sweep. Both games in Phoenix were essentially over by halftime.

The only real chance the Sky have at avoiding another loss is by getting off to a better start Friday.

Of course, that is much easier said than done against Taurasi, Griner and the rest of the dominant Mercury.