Sparks outlast the Fever, 94-88

Though an 18-point lead after three quarters dissolved into a one-point margin with nine seconds left in the game, the Sparks hung on for a 94-88 win over the Indiana Fever at Staples Center on Wednesday night, extending their dominant start to the season to 17-1.

The Fever never led, at one point trailing by as many as 21, but posted 39 fourth-quarter points to make the Sparks sweat.

“As we went down the stretch, I think our trust kind of went away,” star Sparks forward Candace Parker said.

“A play here, a play there, our man scores so we’re hugged up to our man the next possession because we didn’t get help — it affects our defensive rotation.”

Five Sparks players reached double-digit point totals. Best among them was Nneka Ogwumike, who was a force around the rim, starting out seven for seven from the field and ending the night 10 for 14 with 23 points. The team’s top scorer, Ogwumike has averaged about 70% shooting this season.

The Sparks’ other point leaders were Parker with 20, Jantel Lavender and Kristi Toliver with 15 and Alana Beard with 10.

The Sparks’ defense held Indiana’s leading scorer, Tamika Catchings, scoreless for almost all of the first half, but Catchings — who is playing her last season and is the No. 2 all-time scorer in the WNBA — and the rest of the Fever surged after the break.

Catchings finished with 14 points, behind two of her teammates: Tiffany Mitchell with 20 and Erlana Larkins with 15.

Despite the drama in the final seconds, Parker said she’s confident in her team’s ability to excel for full games, every game.

“Our consistency has been what I’ve been most proud of,” Parker said. “We do what we do. If we go down, we’re going to go down doing what we do.”

Next for the Sparks is a home matchup against the Washington Mystics on Sunday.

renee.griffin@latimes.com

Twitter: @ReneeMGriffin

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