Lynx edge Mercury in WNBA semi-finals

Phoenix Mercury have lost to Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA and trail 2-0 in their best-of-five semi-final series.

Phoenix Mercury have lost to Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA. (AAP)

Australian basketballer Penny Taylor's Phoenix Mercury have lost 96-86 to defending WNBA champions Minnesota, as the Lynx went 2-0 up in the semi-final series.

Maya Moore scored 26 points Lynx while Taylor had 16 and Diana Taurasi had 31 points for the eighth-seeded Mercury.

Rebekkah Brunson had 13 points and 11 rebounds, Sylvia Fowles finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, and Jia Perkins had 12 points for the top-seeded Lynx in the best-of-five series.

In the later semi-final, Candace Parker scored 20 points to help the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Chicago Sky 99-84 to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.