PHOENIX (AP) _ Jennifer Gillom missed her first game in 3 1/2 years in the WNBA.

It didn't matter for the Phoenix Mercury, who got a lift from forwards Brandy Reed and Michelle Griffiths that kept them unbeaten against the Detroit Shock.

Reed had 22 points, nine rebounds and a career-high eight assists, and Griffiths scored 17 points while holding Wendy Palmer, the Shock's top scorer, to 10 as the Mercury defeated the Shock 81-69 Thursday night.

The Mercury (10-6) improved to 6-0 against the Shock by putting together one big run in each half and then rebuffing Detroit's catch-up attempts.

"We had a small lineup," Griffiths said. "We just ran the floor and got some open layups."

Reed had no idea she was close to a triple-double.

"I didn't know I had that many assists," she said. "I thought it was five or four. Had I known, maybe I would have created a little more."

Mercury coach Cheryl Miller called the performance sensational.

"She doesn't get enough credit for her passing," Miller said.

Tonya Edwards had 15 and Lisa Harrison scored six of her 12 in the final three minutes for Phoenix, which played without Gillom for the first time in 106 games.

Claudia Maria das Neves had 12 points for the Shock, but sat out the last 14:04 after rolling her left ankle.

Coupled with a groin strain that kept Dominique Canty out of the lineup, the injury deprived the Shock (7-9) of their starting backcourt.

Detroit closed within five points at 70-65 on a 3-pointer by Anna DeForge with 2:32 to go.

Harrison answered with a layup 13 seconds later, and Reed sped to a layup with 1:56 to play, taking the Mercury to a 74-65 lead.

The Shock took their only lead since the opening minutes when Palmer broke a 40-40 tie with a layup 5:56 into the second half.

But das Neves was hurt while making the assist, and the edge went out of Detroit's offense.

"Anytime you're missing players that you're used to having out there, it makes a difference," Palmer said.

Before the Shock recovered, Phoenix scored 15 consecutive points in a four-minute run capped by a 3-pointer by Reed, and took a 55-42 lead with 10:39 left.

The Mercury stayed ahead at the foul line, going 17-of-19 in the second half for 21 points off free throws. The Shock were 3-of-5 for the game.

"We didn't get any calls tonight," coach Nancy Lieberman-Cline said. "You can't win on the road if you only go to the foul line five times."

Edwards had five points during an 11-0 run that sent the Mercury to a 16-6 lead 8:37 into the game. The Shock came back quickly, and most of the game was close.