Sparks get a wake-up call, win on the road

SACRAMENTO -- Tired from an overtime game the previous night and an early-morning flight, the Sparks needed a half to wake up against the Sacramento Monarchs.

Candace Parker had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Sparks, who rallied for a 74-66 win over the Sacramento Monarchs on Saturday night.

“We had the overtime win Friday, then had to be at the airport at 7 in the morning, so yeah, we were tired,” DeLisha Milton-Jones said.

Lisa Leslie scored 14 points and blocked four shots, and Milton-Jones had 13 points and six rebounds for the Sparks, who used a 16-2 run to pull away from Sacramento in the fourth quarter for their third consecutive victory.

“Sometimes you are tired and it can be a mental thing, but once we’re in the game, we’re definitely going to eventually find our rhythm,” Milton-Jones said. “We found it after sleepwalking in the first half.”

They got the usual contributions from rookie Parker and veterans Leslie and Milton-Jones, who were outplayed in the opening half when they trailed by as many as 17 points.