Sparks Lose to Storm, 92-56
One question: When does Lisa Leslie come back?
Lauren Jackson’s team-record 34 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks led the Seattle Storm past the Sparks, 92-56, Wednesday night before 8,305 at Seattle.
Seattle (15-11) moved to within 2 1/2 games of the defending WNBA champion Sparks (18-9), who lost their fourth in a row, all without Leslie, who is on the injured list because of a bruised right knee.
“They’re a good team and we’re a little undermanned right now,” Spark Coach Michael Cooper said. “But there’s no excuse for the lack of effort we’re showing out there.”
Jackson scored 22 of the Storm’s first 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds by halftime, propelling Seattle to a 36-33 lead at the break. She made 17 of 23 shots.
Sue Bird recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 assists for Seattle.
Mwadi Mabika and Nikki Teasley led the Sparks with 15 points apiece, but Mabika scored only two in the second half.
The Storm pulled away down the stretch, holding the Sparks to 32.3% shooting from the field for the game.
The Storm pushed its home winning streak to seven games and earned a split in the season series of four games with the Sparks.
Leslie has missed the last nine games since injuring her knee in the All-Star game. The Sparks are 3-6 in those games.
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Phoenix 56, Minnesota 49 -- Anna DeForge scored 15 points, 13 in the second half, to lead the Mercury in front of 8,282 at Phoenix.
Minnesota (15-12) missed two shots and two free throws after getting within 51-49 with 1:59 remaining.
Coupled with Seattle’s win over the Sparks, the Lynx fell into fourth place in the Western Conference, one game ahead of Sacramento. The top four teams in each conference make the playoffs.
Adrian Williams added 14 points and seven rebounds for Phoenix (6-20), which entered having lost nine of 11.
The Mercury held Katie Smith, the fourth-leading scorer in the WNBA with a 19.0 average, to 10 points.
Tamika Williams had 12 points and eight rebounds and Janell Burse added 11 points and nine rebounds for Minnesota, which had won four of its last five.
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Washington 92, Detroit 81 -- Chamique Holdsclaw had 26 points and 10 rebounds as the Mystics kept their slim playoff hopes alive before 11,341 at Washington.
Holdsclaw, who missed Washington’s last game because of a strained neck, sparked a 19-6 second-half run that turned a one-point deficit into a 12-point lead with 7:39 to play.
Kedra Holland-Corn made five three-point baskets and scored 23 points to lead first-place Detroit, which had its five-game winning streak end.
The Mystics, who reached the Eastern Conference finals last season, would have been eliminated from playoff contention with a loss.