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NEW YORK -- Phoenix coach Sandy Brondello hasnt always loved the WNBAs new knockout playoff format. But its safe to say she has come around on it.The Mercury, inconsistent for much of the regular season, beat New York 101-94 in an elimination game Saturday to advance to the WNBA semifinals against Minnesota.?That isnt bad for a team that finished the regular season two games below .500.I was a little critical of the knockout games, but I kind of like it right now, Brondello said.Veteran Diana Taurasi led the way for Phoenix, just as she did Wednesday in the Mercurys first-round, elimination-game win over Indiana.Taurasi had a game-high 30 points on 9-for-17 shooting to lift Phoenix. But it wasnt just the point total; it was when Taurasi scored that mattered most Saturday.With Phoenix up two and 6:40 to play, Taurasi scored five straight points to spur an 8-2 run. Five minutes later, the Mercury led by just four. But Taurasi put the game away by hitting a contested 3-pointer.That prompted this statement from Brondello: Diana Taurasi, shes the GOAT [greatest of all time]. Its always great to have her on your team.Is it ever. Saturday was just the latest example of Taurasi lifting her team in an elimination game.She scored 14 of her game-high 20 points in the second half of the Mercurys win over the Indiana Fever on Wednesday. That gave her a 12-3 career record in WNBA elimination games. Saturday was win No. 13.I just think its the mindset that the teams Ive been on have had, Taurasi said. These moments, weve never shied away from.Taurasi, understandably, doesnt want to talk about her own exploits. But her performance in win-or-go-home scenarios has been remarkable. According to WNBA.com, Taurasi averages 23 points on better than 48 percent shooting in such situations. If you include her Olympic and NCAA career, Taurasi has a 43-3 record in elimination games.Thats why I say shes the best player in the world, Brondelo said. Shes such an unselfish player, but her determination to win in those big moments exceeds anyone else Ive ever seen.Taurasi didnt do it all by herself on Saturday, of course. Brittney Griner was fantastic, scoring 22 points with 10 rebounds and five assists, and Penny Taylor added 22 points. It was the kind of game that many expected from Phoenix over the course of the season.But the Mercury struggled with consistency and clinched the eighth and final WNBA playoff seed with a disappointing 16-18 regular-season record.We had some good individual performances, Brondello said, but we were just inconsistent in putting it together for one night.The Mercury have now put it together for two nights when it mattered most. But for the Liberty, it was a sudden end to another successful regular season.New York finished with the third-best record in the WNBA, but thanks to the leagues new playoff format, which awards the top two seeds byes into the best-of-five semifinals, the Liberty played in an elimination game rather than a full series.They worked all year long to give themselves an opportunity, and tonight it just didnt get done, Liberty coach Bill Laimbeer said.Tina Charles finished with 19 points and nine rebounds on Saturday, looking every bit the MVP candidate who carried New York for most of the season. But the Liberty failed to execute late in the fourth quarter, and Taurasi seemed to thrive.Diana was Diana, Charles said.On Saturday, that meant Taurasi was at her best when her team needed her most. Those who have watched her long enough shouldnt be surprised. China Jerseys . 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The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. Making his first appearance since injuring his wrist a month ago, Del Potro had difficulty with his service games in the first set. Cheap Authentic Jerseys . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. FRANKFURT, Germany -- Cristiano Ronaldos anger could work in Real Madrids favor.The Portugal winger was visibly upset when he came off in the 72nd minute of the 2-2 league draw at Las Palmas. Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said he pulled Ronaldo to rest him for Tuesdays match against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.Ronaldo did not play well but he did set up one goal and he is likely to be eager to dispel any doubts about his and the teams form in the match against Dortmund. Two consecutive draws in the Spanish league and Ronaldos little rant have put Real Madrid on the verge of an early crisis.With 97 goals in the Champions League, Ronaldo is close to becoming the first player to score a century in the elite club competition.Heres a look at Tuesdays matches in the Champions League:---GROUP EMonaco, which hosts Bayer Leverkusen, is sweating on the fitness of striker Radamel Falcao, who is recovering from a concussion sustained in a midweek French league defeat against Nice.Monaco said Falcao has resumed training but on an adjusted program as he continues his recovery.The 30-year-old Colombia striker has made a decent start to the season with three goals in six games.Leverkusen escaped another Bundesliga embarrassment when Javier Chicharito Hernandez scored a hat trick in Mainz for a 3-2 win.Leverkusen drew 2-2 with CSKA Moscow to open its Champions League campaign, while Monaco won 2-1 at Tottenham.Security will be in tight in Moscow for the arrival of Tottenham. Russian and English fans fought each other on the streets of Marseille before their national teams played at the European Championship in June, and in the stands after the final whistle. CSKAs fans have a record of racism and violence.Tottenham arrives without injured forward Harry Kane, though Son Heung-min has deputized recently with some success.CSKAs main concerns will be at the back, with an aging center-back pairing and a goalkeeper, Igor Akinfeev, who has not kept a clean sheet in the Champions League in 10 years. The Russian champions have one win from their last four games in all competitions.---GROUP FBorussia Dortmund opened its campaign with a 6-0 win over Legia Warsaw and followed with 14 goals in its next three Bundesliga matches.New signings Raphael Guerreiro, Ousmane Dembele and Emre Mor are getting plenty of playing time and are living up to expectations, while striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang already has five goals in five matches in the Bundesliga.But Aubameyang is nursing a left-ankle injury, while backup Adrian Ramos and defenderr Marc Bartra have groin problems.dddddddddddd Forward Andre Schuerrle is back in training after a knee sprain.Dortmund has won its last three home matches against Real Madrid and has never lost at its stadium against the 11-time Champions League winners in five matches.Zidane will not be able to count on left back Marcelo and defensive midfielder Casemiro because of injuries, but central defender Pepe is set to return to the lineup.Legia seeks to bounce back with a new coach, Jacek Magiera, who has replaced Besnik Hasi. But Sporting Lisbon also needs a win after losing 2-1 at Real Madrid.---GROUP GLeicester manager Claudio Raniero has swatted away suggestions that his players are saving their best for the Champions League this season.Results may show otherwise.The English champions have lost 4-1 in the Premier League the weekend before their first two matches in the Champions League, first to Liverpool and on Saturday to Manchester United.With Europe in mind, Ranieri even took Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez off at halftime against United -- with Leicester 4-0 down and seemingly no way back.After the drubbing by Liverpool, Leicester responded by easing past Club Brugge 3-0 in its first ever game in the Champions League and next faces FC Porto on Tuesday. Porto hasnt won any of its 16 matches away to English opposition in the competition.FC Copenhagen, which opened with an impressive 1-1 draw at Porto, is at home against Brugge. They last met in the group stage of the Europa League in 2014, with Brugge winning 4-0 in Denmark.---GROUP HDinamo Zagreb, which lost 3-0 at Lyon, is another team with a new coach. Zlatko Kranjcar was replaced by Zeljko Sopic after a 5-2 domestic league loss at Rijeka.Dinamo hosts Juventus, which was held to a 0-0 draw by Sevilla in its opener.Juventus has lost Daniele Rugani and Kwadwo Asamoah for six weeks, both with right-knee injuries. It is a blow for the five-time Serie A champions, since Medhi Benatia and Claudio Marchisio are also injured.Sevilla hosts Lyon in the other match.Lyon is missing striker Alexandre Lacazette, who is nursing a thigh injury. Lacazette scored 48 league goals in the past two seasons and had six in four matches to start the latest campaign.In his absence, Lyon coach Bruno Genesio must decide whether to play roaming forward Nabil Fekir as a central striker or give that role to 19-year-old Maxwell Cornet, who scored in the win over Dinamo. ' ' '