The Los Angeles Sparks are on course to make a significant playoff run, coming off a 1-4 road trip will make things difficult but not impossible for them to enter the playoff picture.
The Chicago Sky who are also in a heated playoff in the Eastern Conference have a must win tonight in Los Angeles.
Coming off a 1-4 trip, the Sparks improved to 13-1 at Staples Center with a 21-10 overall record. They moved two games ahead of San Antonio for second place in the Western Conference with four games remaining.
The Sky and Sparks traded baskets in the early first quarter and thanks to the balanced attack of rookie Nneka Ogwumike, the Sparks ended the first quarter leading 27-18. Ogwumike and Delisha Milton-Jones combined for 17 of the Sparks' 27 first-quarter points.
Sparks pulled away in the second quarter with the help of Candace Parker, Milton-Jones, and Oguwmike who dominate offensively as well as defensively. Ogwumike scored 14 and Milton-Jones added 11 to lead the Sparks a 44-35 halftime lead.
The Chicago Sky shot 35 percent in the first half, including 0 for 8 from 3-point range. Sky's Swin Cash was held to only four points that included a buzzer beater before the first half ended.
The Sky emerged from their slumber in the third quarter behind Swin Cash's 14 points as the Sky began to close in 61-57. Epiphanny Prince hit six clutch points in the third quarter along with being perfect in the quarter from the free throw line.
Ogwumike scored 16 points in the second half and helped turn away a late Chicago rally in the fourth quarter. Ogwumike extended the Sparks 12-point lead when she put back a missed shot with 3:20 remaining. However the Sky would claw back and go on a 10-2 run to cut the Sparks' lead to 81-77 due to Cash's huge 3-pointer with 51 seconds left.
The two teams exchanged turnovers as the Sky committed two key fouls. Kristi Toliver made a one out of two free throws, and Ogwumike took an inbound pass from Milton-Jones for an uncontested layup with 28.9 seconds left.
The Sparks held on for their seventh straight win, despite a struggling Kristi Toliver, who was 0 for 5 from the field and finished with six points.
Swin Cash scored 23 points and Epiphanny Prince had 19. The Sky (12-18) fell one game behind the New York Liberty for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East.
Nneka Ogwumike finished with a double-double 30 points, 11 rebounds. Delisha Milton-Jones finished with 11 points, and Candace Parker finished with 11 points, and 5 rebounds.
"We just came off a 1-4 road trip. We knew this game was essential, and also learning from the win was really important, too" said Ogwumike said.
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