DeWanna Bonner loudly reminded the Indiana Fever what they were missing

DeWanna Bonner had a point to prove.

Thursday night's showdown in Phoenix between the Mercury and the Indiana Fever was not the first time that Bonner has squared off against her former teammates in Indiana since she departed the Fever on June 25. But it was the 37-year-old's fiercest statement yet that she still has plenty left in the tank.

MORE: The Indiana Fever is running out of point guards

Since returning to Phoenix last month, Bonner is averaging 11.5 points in 24.1 minutes across 11 games. Thursday was her finest display yet. In 23 minutes, Bonner scored 23 points and hauled in seven rebounds as the Mercury blew out the Fever, 95-60, in a game that saw Alyssa Thomas -- Bonner's fiancée -- become the first player in WNBA history to record three consecutive triple-doubles.

Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts admitted that Bonner was playing with an edge on Thursday, and at a level befitting a six-time All-Star and a two-time WNBA champion -- a performance far different from her four-point performance in a loss at Indiana last Wednesday.

“I think we’re all human, right? There’s probably a lot of people that doubted if she could still play at the same level that she had," Tibbetts said. "It didn't work out for either party while she was (in Indiana). It left a chip on her shoulder."

The Mercury (19-11) have won three consecutive games, all by at least 16 points. Phoenix next hosts the surging Atlanta Dream (19-11) on Sunday, in a game that could prove vital for playoff positioning.

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