Veronica Burton had 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Kayla Thornton added 18 points and eight boards, and the visiting Golden State Valkyries beat the Indiana Fever 80-61 on Wednesday to spoil Caitlin Clark’s return to the lineup.

The Valkyries held Clark to just 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting as the Fever scored their second-fewest points of the season.

Clark returned after missing the past five games with a left groin injury. The All-Star captain participated in practice Monday — the first time she’d done that since getting hurt June 26.

Golden State led 41-32 at halftime and Kate Martin scored five consecutive points in the third for a 15-point lead.

After Indiana went on a 10-1 run to get within 55-50, Burton ended Golden State’s drought with a 3-pointer. Burton also capped Golden State’s 9-0 run on another 3-pointer with 26 seconds left in the third for a 64-50 lead.

Burton’s fifth 3-pointer, setting a career high, came with 6:32 remaining for a 70-53 lead and Thornton’s wide-open 3 about a minute later made it a 20-point lead.

Sun 93, Storm 83: Tina Charles set season highs with 29 points and 11 rebounds to help Connecticut end a 10-game losing streak with a win over visiting Seattle.

Connecticut (3-16) won its first game since June 6.

Charles made a baseline jumper with 5:36 left in the fourth quarter to give Connecticut its first lead of the game at 79-77. Charles also made two layups in eight seconds — following a steal by Saniya Rivers — for a 91-81 lead.

The Sun pulled away by scoring 11 straight points late in the fourth.

Charles finished 11 of 22 from the field for her sixth 20-point game of the season. Jacy Sheldon added 16 points and Bria Hartley had 15. Rivers scored all 11 of her points in the opening five minutes of the third.

Skylar Diggins led Seattle (13-7) with 23 points and seven assists. Gabby Williams added 21 points and Nneka Ogwumike had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Mercury 79, Lynx 71: Alyssa Thomas scored 12 of her career-high 29 points in the fourth quarter and Phoenix closed on a 19-4 run at home to beat Minnesota.

Thomas, coming off her 16th career triple-double Monday, was 14 of 24 from the field to top her previous high of 28 points. She also had eight rebounds and five assists.

Phoenix tied it at 69 and 71 before Thomas scored on back-to-back possessions to take a 75-71 lead. She scored 10 points during the Mercury’s game-closing run.

Monique Akoa Makani added 13 points and Sami Whitcomb had 10 for Phoenix.

Courtney Williams led Minnesota (17-3) with 21 points. Napheesa Collier added 18 points and Bridget Carleton had 10.

DeWanna Bonner, who signed with Phoenix as a free agent Tuesday and played her first game with the Mercury, finished with seven points and six rebounds in 26 minutes.

Liberty 87, Aces 78: Sabrina Ionescu scored 28 points to lead New York over Las Vegas late Tuesday.

With the score tied at 72, New York (13-6) scored the next eight points, led by Ionescu, who finished with eight assists and eight rebounds. Las Vegas’ last basket of the game came with 5:41 left. New York hit its free throws down the stretch to close out the win.

The Aces lost star A’ja Wilson to a right wrist injury in the first half. She went down hard halfway through the second quarter and spent several minutes on the ground surrounded by her teammates. She sustained an injury to her right wrist and did not return to the game.