WNBA roundup: Los Angeles Sparks hold off the Atlanta Dream in overtime

nba Wednesday 18 August 2021 13:31, UK

Brittney Sykes starred for the Los Angeles Sparks to help her side to victory over the Atlanta Dream in overtime, while Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi led the Phoenix Mercury past the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun snapped the Minnesota Lynx's eight-game winning stream.

Brittney Sykes scored 17 points to lead six Los Angeles players in double figures as the Sparks beat the Atlanta Dream 85-80 in overtime.

Sykes opened overtime with a basket for Los Angeles' first lead since 24-23. Kristi Toliver, who forced the extra period, gave the Sparks a six-point lead with 2:13 left and they led by at least three points the rest of the way.

Erica Wheeler added 16 points for Los Angeles (8-13). Nneka Ogwumike, who went to the locker room in the first half but returned to start the third quarter, had 13 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, Amanda Zahui B. had 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists, Toliver scored 11 and Nia Coffey 10. Odyssey Sims led Atlanta (6-15) with 26 points and six assists.

Courtney Williams missed her first eight field goals but made a jumper with 52.8 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give Atlanta a 72-70 lead. She made another from the same spot at 5.4 for a 74-72 lead but after a timeout, Toliver sank a shot over the outstretched arm of Williams to force overtime.

Brittney Griner had 25 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, Diana Taurasi scored 22 points with seven rebounds and seven assists, and the Phoenix Mercury held off the Indiana Fever 84-80.

Indiana got within two points three times in the final 1:32, but Phoenix had an answer each time. After Kelsey Mitchell pulled the Fever within 82-80 with 25.9 left, Taurasi sealed it with two free throws.

Brianna Turner added 10 points and 11 rebounds for Phoenix (11-10). Skylar Diggins-Smith, averaging 19.1 points per game, sustained a right ankle sprain in the first quarter and did not return.

Griner became the third player in WNBA history to reach 700 career blocks. Mitchell led Indiana (4-18) with 20 points. Victoria Vivians added 16 points, Danielle Robinson had 14 and Tiffany Mitchell 11.

Kelsey Plum scored 21 of her 24 points in the second half, Aja Wilson had 19 points, 14 rebounds and five assists and the Las Vegas Aces beat the Washington Mystics 93-83 to spoil Tina Charles' ninth 30-point game.

Las Vegas trailed 49-41 at halftime, but went on a 9-0 run to take a 74-67 lead early in the fourth quarter. Plum sealed it with a 3-pointer from the wing with 52.9 seconds left for an eight-point lead.

Liz Cambage added 15 points for Las Vegas (17-6), Chelsea Gray scored 13 and Riquna Williams 10. Wilson, in her fourth season, became the fifth player in WNBA history to reach 2,000 career points in under 105 games.

Charles scored 23 points in the first half and finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds for Washington (8-12). She passed passed Katie Smith (6,452) for seventh on the WNBA career scoring list. Ariel Atkins added 24 points.

Allisha Gray had 20 points and Arike Ogunbowale scored 10 of her 15 points in the second half to help the Dallas Wings overcome the Chicago Sky 80-76.

Ogunbowale beat the shot clock with a long 3-pointer to give Dallas a 75-68 lead with 2:20 remaining. Allie Quigley made her sixth 3-pointer with 52.7 left to pull Chicago within two points, but Moriah Jefferson answered with a basket in the lane and the Wings led by two possessions the rest of the way.

Isabelle Harrison had 15 points and six rebounds and Jefferson had 11 points, five rebounds and eight assists for Dallas (10-13). The Wings outrebounded Chicago 45-32.

Satou Sabally missed her second straight game for Dallas with an injury. Quigley led Chicago (11-11) with 27 points in 26 minutes. Kahleah Copper added 16 points and Azura Stevens 14.

Copper and Candace Parker each went down with apparent ankle injuries in the third quarter. Copper returned to the court early in the fourth, but Parker remained on the Chicago bench with ice wrapped around her left ankle.

Jasmine Thomas scored 19 points, Jonquel Jones had 17 points and 13 rebounds, and Connecticut beat Minnesota 72-60 to snap the Lynx's eight-game winning streak.

Jones, who reached 2,000 career points, also had four assists and three steals. Thomas and Jones each made all five of their free-throw attempts to help Connecticut go 14 for 16.

DeWanna Bonner added 18 points and Briann January had 10 for Connecticut (16-6), who began a five-game homestand.

Kaila Charles beat the third-quarter buzzer with a runner in the lane to extend Connecticut's lead to 62-46.

Sylvia Fowles scored 14 points and Kayla McBride added 12 for Minnesota (13-8). The Lynx turned it over 17 times and shot just seven free throws. The teams play each other again on Thursday night.