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Sparks bring their troubles home in 80-68 loss to New York

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After trudging through a two-game trip to the East Coast in which the Sparks played some of their worst basketball this season, the team returned home hoping to start anew.

But the troubles followed them.

The Sparks, who had combined for 45 turnovers during losses in Washington and Atlanta, were out-rebounded, out-hustled and outplayed by New York.

In an 80-68 loss to the Liberty (7-7) in front of an announced crowd of 8,602 at Staples Center, the Sparks lost their fourth consecutive game and fell to 3-11.

The Sparks haven’t won since Candace Parker had a season ending shoulder injury June 13. Last week they suffered another huge blow when Betty Lennox decided to have surgery on a torn meniscus.

“We need more than nine players,” said Tina Thompson. “The players we lost are a center and a two-guard, and we need both.”

It looked as if the Sparks could persevere despite their hardships when Noelle Quinn opened the first quarter strong with 10 points, giving the Sparks a 22-19 advantage.

But the Sparks began the second quarter in a fog and watched their slight lead disintegrate as the Liberty shot 71.4% and out-rebounded the Sparks seven to one.

The Liberty finished the game with 35 rebounds, while the Sparks had 22.

“It’s the same old plague — rebounding,” Sparks Coach Jennifer Gillom said. “We’ve got to do a better job controlling the boards.”

New York turned a 44-35 halftime lead into a 21-point advantage with 2:03 left in the third quarter. The Sparks cut the lead to 12 in the fourth a few times, but couldn’t get closer.

“The third quarter has been our Achilles’ heel this year,” said Quinn, who finished with a game-high 24.

At the end of the game, DeLisha Milton-Jones walked onto the court, grabbed the microphone and addressed the silenced crowd.

“Please don’t give up on us,” Milton-Jones said. “We’re going to keep fighting.”

melissa.rohlin@latimes.com

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