Sparks improve playoff hopes with 90-59 rout of Stars
Sparks center Jantel Lavender. shown during a game on June 26, had 22 points against the Stars on Sunday.
Jantel Lavender scored 22 points and Candace Parker added 20 to help the Los Angeles Sparks roll to a 90-59 victory over the San Antonio Stars on Sunday.
Ana Dabovic had 18 for the Sparks (10-17), who padded their cushion between themselves, idle Seattle (7-20) and the Stars (7-21), for the final playoff berth out of the Western Conference.
Lavender blocked a career-high five shots and played in her 132nd consecutive game, second all-time for Los Angeles. Parker had 12 rebounds and nine assists.
The Sparks shot 54% from the field and dominated in the paint, 52-28.
Kayla McBride scored 13 points and Dearica Hamby 10 for the Stars, losers of five straight.
Nneka Ogwumike, the Sparks’ second-leading scorer, sat out for the third straight game with concussion-like symptoms. Parker scored nine points in an 11-2 run for a 28-13 first-quarter lead. The Sparks led 43-24 at halftime and led by as many as 37.
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