Kristi Toliver scores 28 as Sparks win sixth in a row

Kristi Toliver scored 28 points to lead the Sparks to a 94-72 win against the Indiana Fever on Friday night.

The Sparks (18-7) won their season-high-tying sixth straight and pulled even with Western Conference-leading Minnesota. Candace Parker added 18 points and Nneka Ogwumike had 16 points and seven rebounds.

Toliver scored 16 points in the first quarter and finished 11 for 15 from the field to head a 63% shooting night for the Sparks. She made a long straightaway jumper to end the third quarter and sank a three-pointer in the fourth to push the lead to 79-62.

Tamika Catchings and Erin Phillips each scored 16 points to lead the Fever (11-13), who dropped into fourth place in the East — half a game behind Washington.

Injury-plagued Indiana, which played a third straight game without Shavonte Zellous because of plantar fasciitis, lost guard Karima Christmas to a left hip injury late in the third. Her status was not immediately known.

The 94 points were the most allowed this season by Indiana, which entered the game ranked first in the WNBA at 68.3 points per game allowed.

Toliver scored 16 of L.A.’s first 26 points, on seven-for-nine shooting. She made a jumper over Erlana Larkins, a long step-back jumper and converted a left-hand finger roll.

Ogwumike scored eight points in the final six minutes of the first half to help give the Sparks a 49-37 lead at the break. She made all five field-goal attempts, including a finish of an alley-oop pass from Lindsey Harding.