The Portland Fire held off the Phoenix Mercury 88-85, powered by a franchise-record fourth quarter from Carla Leite, who finished with a game-high 21 points.
What happened
Leite led all scorers with 21 points, and 15 of them came in the fourth quarter alone as Portland closed out the win over Phoenix. The Fire needed every bit of that surge to secure the three-point victory.
Why it matters
Leite's 15-point fourth quarter set a Fire franchise record, underscoring her growing role as a closer for Portland. The result also flips the recent head-to-head trend, with the Fire avenging a 78-72 loss to the Mercury in their last meeting.
By the numbers
Portland improves to 14-22 on the season, averaging 86.7 points scored and 91.4 allowed per game. Phoenix falls to 14-22, averaging 83.9 points scored and 87.3 allowed. Leite's 21-point, 15-point-fourth-quarter effort stood out as the game's defining individual performance.
What to watch next
Both teams enter their next games riding one-game win streaks as they continue through the remainder of the regular season. Portland will look to build on Leite's late-game scoring surge, while Phoenix aims to bounce back after seeing its head-to-head edge over the Fire erased.