PHOENIX - Diana Taurasi scored 22 points - including a 50-foot bank shot at the halftime buzzer - but Yolanda Griffith led visiting Sacramento to a 72-66 victory. Taurasi fouled out with 34.6 seconds left, falling a point shy of the record for a player in her first WNBA game. Griffith had 17 points and nine rebounds as the bigger Monarchs dominated inside, outrebounding the Mercury 34-23.
SAN ANTONIO 64, HOUSTON 55: Marie Ferdinand scored 20 of her 26 to lead a second-half comeback by visiting San Antonio in the season opener for both teams.
Gwen Jackson added 17 points and nine rebounds, and Shannon Johnson scored 10 for San Antonio, which went in front with a 17-0 run.
Tina Thompson led Houston with 20 points.
San Antonio hit only 27.3 percent on 9-for-33 shooting the first half and trailed by 11 points at the break. But the Silver Stars hit 12 of their first 16 shots in the second half.
The Comets made five of their first eight 3-point attempts - including three of four by Thompson - and led 20-15. Later in the half, Houston got its fastbreak going and threatened to make it a rout.
Scoring six off the break, the Comets had a 10-2 streak to lead 34-23 with 1:40 left in the first half.
