ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Coach Cheryl Reeve and the Minnesota Lynx were not leaving any doubt: nearly two weeks between games was beneficial for the defending WNBA champions.Maya Moore scored 31 points, including 15 in the second quarter, as Minnesota opened its title defense with a 113-95 win over the Phoenix Mercury in the first game of the WNBA semifinals Wednesday night.Lindsay Whalen added 19 points and seven assists as Minnesota broke the WNBA record for points in a regulation playoff game. Center Sylvia Fowles scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Lynx, who hadnt played since Sept. 17 as the top seed in the WNBAs new playoff format.I think put to rest that narrative that you guys enjoy talking about when a team has 10 or so days off, Reeve said. That rest was good, preparation was good. Thats just kind of what we do.Diana Taurasi scored 25 points for the Mercury, who have lost each of the four games between the two teams this year. Brittney Griner added 16 points for Phoenix but was held to just two rebounds.Minnesota shot 63.9 percent from the field and outrebounded the bigger Mercury 38-20.Pretty hard to get defensive rebounds when theyre scoring 64 percent, Phoenix coach Sandy Brondello said. Got to play better defense, make more shots contested and be in a position to rebound. We have to play a bit more physical. Fowles, shes a beast on the boards.The Lynx started a bit slow as the Mercury led 14-8 early with Taurasi hitting a pair of 3-pointers.Minnesota went to its bench with Moore, Whalen and Seimone Augustus taking their first rest. The bench combined with Fowles and Rebekkah Brunson to spark a 12-3 run. Moore, Whalen and Augustus were the centerpieces as the Lynx took control in the second quarter, beginning the period on a 19-4 run.You try to throw different things at them, Taurasi said. Obviously you want to stop Maya, you saw what happened. You want to limit Seimone and Syl and then, oh wait, you have Lindsay Whalen running it down your throat. So, theres a lot of things that we have to kind of prioritize, and we didnt do any of those today.Minnesota led by as many as 25 and Phoenix sat Taurasi, Griner, Penny Taylor and Candice Dupree for the entire fourth quarter.BACKUPS FOR THE BACKUPSBoth teams are dealing with injuries to their backup centers.Reeve announced after the game that Janel McCarville was unavailable Wednesday because of back spasms. Reeve said the team is working to relieve the spasms but she was unsure of McCarvilles availability for Game 2.Mercury center Kelsey Bone left the game in the fourth quarter after being down on the court with an apparent injury. Bone walked off under her own power and went immediately to the locker room holding her left elbow.Brondello said Bone was still being evaluated.HOME AWAY FROM HOMEWith scheduling conflicts at Target Center, Minnesotas home playoff games were moved across town to St. Pauls Xcel Energy Center, the home of the NHLs Minnesota Wild.With boards covering the arenas ice surface, the two teams played on the Lynx court. Minnesota tied the WNBA record with 13 road wins this season, including winning all eight road games against Western Conference opponents.The Lynx will also play the 2017 season at the Xcel Energy Center.TIP-INSMercury: Marta Xargay started her second playoff game for Phoenix after making only six starts in the regular season. Xargay was limited to seven minutes in the first half after picking up three quick fouls. ... The Mercury had won four straight games, including two in the playoffs as the eighth seed.Lynx: Minnesotas 113 points broke the mark of 108 scored by Chicago in the second round. The overall WNBA record for points in a playoff game is 120, set by Phoenix in 2009 in overtime against Indiana. ... Minnesotas .689 win percentage all-time (31-14) and .880 percentage at home (21-3) are WNBA playoff records.UP NEXTThe two teams play Game 2 of the best-of-five series on Friday, Sept. 30 at the Xcel Energy Center.College Jerseys . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. China Jerseys . The Dutchmans tenure got off to a poor start when referee Guido Winkmann awarded a penalty within two minutes for Niklas Starks clumsy challenge on Alexandru Maxim. https://www.cheapjerseysjustwholesale.com/ . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. Wholesale Jerseys . -- Ohio States Urban Meyer has never had any issue acclimating to the biggest stages in college football. MLB Jerseys . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series.CHICAGO --?Chicago Cubs injured catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber is progressing nicely after knee surgery and happy hell remain a Cub for a while.Schwarber has heard the internet rumors, which include the New York Yankees wanting him in a deal for lefty reliever Andrew Miller, but team president Theo Epstein recently stated Schwarber isnt going anywhere.I love this organization, Schwarber said Wednesday. I love this team. I want to stay here. Since he did say that, I did take that to heart. It means a lot.Rumors are going to be rumors. Until something actually happens, you dont worry about it.In reality there was no concrete evidence the Cubs and Yankees were talking about Schwarber only reports that it would take a Schwarber-like player to acquire Miller. For now, Schwarber is simply working hard to return from two torn ligaments in his left knee, which occurred in a collision with centerfielder Dexter Fowler in the third game of the season.It is challenging, Schwarber said of rehab. There are times when youre going to get frustrated because you feel like youre doing the same thing over and over again but thats just the process.I want to do more, but you cant do more because if you do you can definitely have anotther setback.dddddddddddd.When the Cubs are at home, Schwarber will do his rehab work, which includes jogging in water, in the morning and then dress in uniform and watch the game from the dugout. He brought out the lineup card without crunches or a brace on Wednesday afternoon when the Cubs faced the Cincinnati Reds. When the Cubs are on the road he gets his rehab work in then goes home to watch them play.Right now its the strengthening part, Schwarber explained. Past the first phase, range of motion...Next step is jogging.Schwarber says hes more aware of things around the game now that hes not playing - like twitter - but his only goal is to get back on the field as soon as possible.Im going to work my butt off to get back as soon as I can whenever the timetable is, Schwarber said. Thats a good mindset to have. Whatever happens, happens.Asked about the recent collision in the outfield between Kris Bryant and Albert Almora Jr. which brought back memories of Schwarbers own injury, the second year player had one piece of advice for the all-star Bryant.Dont get hurt, he said with a smirk. ' ' '