Sparks rally late to beat the Storm in regular-season finale

Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike (No. 30) slaps hands with teammate Jordin Canada during a win over the Storm on Sunday.

Associated Press

Sept. 10, 2023 2:50 PM PT

SEATTLE —

The Sparks closed out the regular season with a 12-2 run to pull out a 91-89 victory Sunday the Seattle Storm, who were led by Jewell Loyd’s 28 points, which set a league record as she won the scoring title.

Loyd sank nine of 22 shots for the Storm (11-29), who end the season on a four-game losing streak. She made four of nine from three-point range and finished the season with a record 939 points. Former teammate Breanna Stewart, now playing for the New York Liberty, was second with 919 as the league expanded its regular season to 40 games.

Loyd led the league with an average of 24.6 points per game. Stewart averaged 23.0. Loyd scored 25 or more points 21 times this season. No other player had more than 15.

Nneka Ogwumike had 22 points to pace the Sparks (17-23), who trailed most of the game before outscoring the Storm 20-11 in the fourth quarter.

Ezi Magbegor pitched in with 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for Seattle. Magbegor grabbed a team-record 318 rebounds this season, one more than Stewart had for the Storm in 2016.

The Sparks were eliminated from playoff contention when the Chicago Sky beat the Minnesota Lynx on Friday to clinch the eighth and final seed.