2023 is the year scoring records get broken. LeBron James just shattered the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time NBA scoring lead with the Los Angeles Lakers. Diana Taurasi followed that up with a legendary feat of her own in the WNBA. Fans who watched the Phoenix Mercury obliterate the Cheyenne Parker-led Atlanta Dream.
Diana Taurasi became the first player to notch 10,000 WNBA career points. It all came at the expense of the Dream.
She did not just aim for the record but also for dominance in their regular season matchup. After her three-pointer to rack up the record under her belt, Taurasi exploded for 42 points. Her scoring masterclass was also a show of efficiency. The Mercury star knocked down 12 out of her 21 shots.
She also went full-on Stephen Curry as six out of the 13 shots she took from outside the arc went straight to the basket. The perfect scoring outburst was capped off with a perfect free-throw shooting percentage. Diana knocked down all 12 of her shots in the charity stripe.
Atlanta had no answer for Taurasi as they got demolished. Cheyenne Parker led the scoring effort for the Dream with 20 points. Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard even put in double digits but they did not fare well against a hot-handed Diana.
Even her own team relied on her hot shooting streak. No one except for the White Mamba scored more than eight units. Diana Taurasi and Lebron James just prove that shooting is like fine wine over time. She will have more scoring outbursts despite being 41 years old.