CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Vickie Johnson scored 20 points as the Eastern Conference-leading New York Liberty clinched a playoff spot with a 71-58 win Sunday over the Charlotte Sting.

Crystal Robinson had 16 points and Tari Phillips added 15 for the Liberty (17-10), who won for the seventh time in eight games to earn a place in the WNBA playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons. New York has a two-game lead over second-place Washington, which lost to Miami 55-50 on Sunday.

Andrea Stinson had 16 points and six rebounds, while Dawn Staley scored 14 for the Sting (14-14), who lost their fifth straight game.

Charlotte led 36-31 in the first minute of the second half before the Liberty went on a 20-5 run over the next seven minutes. Johnson scored seven points in the spurt, including two free throws that put New York up 51-41 with 12:05 to play.

Sol 55, Mystics 50

MIAMI (AP) Sheri Sam scored 13 points as Miami sent Washington to its sixth straight loss.

Reserve Iziane Castro Marques had 11 points in the first half for Miami, which had lost four of five games on its recent road trip. Ruth Riley scored 10 points and had six rebounds.

The Mystics, playing without injured All-Star Chamique Holdsclaw, were paced by Coco Miller, who scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting.

Washington (15-12) has gone 5-10 after a 10-2 start, and has fallen behind the New York Liberty for the top playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Miami (13-16) kept its playoff hopes alive with its first win in three tries against the Mystics this year.

Lynx 73, Storm 60

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Georgia Schweitzer, filling in for injured starter Svetlana Abrosimova, scored a career-high 17 points as Minnesota beat Seattle.

Schweitzer scored 13 points in the first half, one shy of her previous career-high, on 5-of-7 shooting. Katie Smith also scored 17 points for Minnesota.

Abrosimova sat out because of a strained back.

Lauren Jackson led the Storm (15-14) with 19 points.

The Lynx (9-19) used a 12-0 run midway through the first half, holding Seattle scoreless for more than five minutes, to break open a close game.

Miracle 63, Fire 61

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Shannon Johnson scored 18 points as Orlando beat Portland.

Jesse Hicks gave Orlando (14-14) a 62-61 lead with 24 seconds remaining when she made one of two free throws.

Alisa Burras led Portland (16-13) with 16 points.

Shock 91, Mercury 75

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) Rookie Swin Cash had 14 points and nine rebounds as Detroit defeated Phoenix in a matchup of two of the WNBA's worst teams.

Phoenix (9-19) fell to 0-14 on the road, and has lost a league-record 20 straight away from home, dating back to last season.

Detroit (8-20) has the worst record in the league, but is 8-10 since Bill Laimbeer replaced Greg Williams as coach in June.

The Shock, who set a season high in points, got 13 from Deanna Nolan and 11 each from Elaine Powell and Dominique Canty.

Jennifer Gillom scored 20 points for Phoenix and Adriana Moises had 16.

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