Sparks Get Past Storm to Close Regular Season

In a possible Western Conference finals preview, Nikki Teasley closed out the regular season with 21 points to lead the Sparks past the Seattle Storm, 83-80, on Saturday night.

All five Sparks starters scored in double figures to help the Sparks take the season series, 3-1.

Seattle’s Lauren Jackson scored 22 points and Sheri Sam 21 in front of 14,884, the largest crowd in Storm history.

The Sparks (25-9) had to withstand a late rally by the Storm (20-14).

Sue Bird’s three-pointer pulled Seattle within one point, 81-80, with 23 seconds left. After two free throws from Teasley, Betty Lennox’s three-point attempt bounced off the back of the rim as time expired.

After a quiet first half, the Sparks’ Lisa Leslie came alive in the second, scoring 13 points in the first eight minutes to help the Sparks build a 12-point lead.

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Sacramento 68, Houston 48 -- Yolanda Griffith scored a season-high 23 points, helping the Monarchs (17-16) win at home against the Comets (13-20) and clinch the final playoff berth in the Western Conference.

Griffith made eight of 10 shots from the field and seven of eight from the free-throw line in the Monarchs’ second victory in three days against Houston, which missed the playoffs for the first time in WNBA history.

Sacramento’s win eliminated the Phoenix Mercury, who had a 1 1/2 -game lead over the Monarchs Sept. 9 before losing four straight.