Sparks lose to Phoenix but stay in playoff picture
The Sparks lost, but so did their most imminent competition.
Even though they fell, 90-84, to the Phoenix Mercury, their playoff prospects remain unchanged. They are still in a three-way tie for third place in the Western Conference with the San Antonio Silver Stars and the Minnesota Lynx, who also lost Tuesday.
The Mercury clinched second place with its victory at Staples Center in front of an announced crowd of 8,817. And now the Sparks only have two games left in the regular season to try to clinch one of the final two Western Conference playoff spots.
After trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, the Sparks came to within two points of the Mercury four times in the fourth quarter, but they could not take the lead.
The Sparks last push came with 1:02 remaining, when DeLisha Milton-Jones scored a layup to bring the Sparks to within two at 84-82. But the Mercury regained control by converting six free throws in the final minute.
The Sparks were out-rebounded, 44-33, and out-shot, 45.1% to 40.5%, but those numbers were skewed by a terrible first quarter, in which they shot 19% while the Mercury shot 53% to take a 25-15 lead.
“Had we not had a poor shooting display in the first, things may have been different,” said Sparks Coach Jennifer Gillom. “We kind of played catch-up the whole game.”
Thompson, however, took control in the second quarter, scoring 18 of her 20 first-half points on eight-of-11 shooting to reduce the Sparks’ deficit to 49-40 at halftime.
The Sparks went on a run in the third, outscoring the Mercury, 23-17, to come to within 66-63 at the end of the quarter, but they couldn’t complete a comeback.
“We stayed in the game,” Gillom said. “That’s what I love about this team.”
Thompson, who won the WNBA Western Conference player of the week award for last week’s play, finished with a season-high 33 points.
The Sparks face Minnesota at home Friday and league-best Seattle on the road Saturday.
Thompson knows that the Sparks’ matchup against the Lynx could make or break their postseason hopes.
“We can’t approach them the same way,” Thompson said.
