Sparks need late push to beat Phoenix in their home opener
Chelsea Gray had 23 points and nine assists, Nneka Ogwumike scored 18 points on six-of-nine shooting and the Sparks won their home opener by beating the Phoenix Mercury 80-72 on Sunday.
Odyssey Sims added 14 points and Candace Parker had 10 in her season debut after missing the first three games because of a back injury.
Gray made a layup to give the Sparks (3-1) a 57-47 lead with 6:29 left in the third quarter, but they missed their next eight field-goal attempts before Sims’ three-pointer to made it 67-65 with 8:55 left in the fourth quarter. L.A. led the rest of the way.
Sancho Lyttle hit a jumper to pull Phoenix within two points nearly 90 seconds later, but the Sparks answered with an 11-4 spurt — pushing their lead to 80-71 on Gray’s fadeaway jumper in the lane with 1:46 left.
Phoenix (2-2) committed 10 of its 18 turnovers and shot three of nine from the field while being outscored 18-7 in the fourth quarter.
Lyttle, who had 18 combined points in the first three games of the season, scored 20 for the Mercury.
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