Not a hoax, a joke, an exaggeration, a fantasy story, or a piece of fan fiction: the Merc kept alive their still iffy playoff hopes by defeating Houston, in Houston, by one point, in triple overtime.

The Diana now holds the all-time record for most points in a single game, with 47 (Katie Smith held the old record with 46).

Phoenix won despite crushing disadvantages in rebounds (minus 14) and fouls given (Diana fouled out). The still-underrated Kelly Miller made the free throws that finally ended the game. Miller: "I just concentrated and put them in... We didn't want to go into another overtime."

Houston had dramatic moments, too: Michelle Snow forced the first overtime with a buzzer-beating putback. Tina Thompson, on the hardwood for the first time since this year's calf injury, hit a career-high 37; Swoopes, who played each minute of every period, scored 30.

Coach Westhead: "We've been on a win-or-out situation for the last seven games. There's usually a game or two like that but we've had seven.... We go to San Antonio Saturday and then come back and play the league champions on Sunday. But it's better than the alternative."

Merc fans call it the best game ever. Paul says it's the third triple OT in WNBA history, and the first since 2002. Rebkell's board crashed under the pressure of the longest game discussion ever. If only the game had been on TV...

Should Phoenix defeat San Antonio on Saturday and Sacramento on Sunday, and Seattle beat Houston this Saturday, the Mercury will make the playoffs; any other outcome would put Houston in, and the Mercury out.