(David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images / Fresh off her second straight Player of the Month presented by Boost Mobile award, Candace Parker (26 pts, 13 rebounds) led a Sparks attack that smothered the league’s top team — then held off a late charge — on Thursday, as L.A. dropped the Lynx, 96-90, to hand Minnesota its second straight loss.)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kristi Toliver scored 29 points and Candace Parker had 28 points and 13 rebounds as the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Minnesota Lynx 96-90 on Thursday.
Nneka Ogwumike added 12 points and Alana Beard had 10 for the Sparks (11-6), who led by 20 early in the fourth quarter before weathering Minnesota’s furious rally to snap a three-game losing streak.
Seimone Augustus scored 18 points to lead the Lynx (13-3), who have lost two back-to-back games for the first time since June 24-26, 2011. Minnesota has also lost three straight on the road for the first time since Aug. 13-20, 2010.
Candice Wiggins had a 3-pointer and Maya Moore made two to pull the Lynx to 84-78 with 2 1/2 minutes to go. However, Toliver and Parker made 10 free throws over the last 1:59 to seal the Sparks’ win.
SILVER STARS 88, FEVER 72
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Becky Hammon scored 19 points to lead San Antonio to its fifth straight win.
Jia Perkins scored 17 points and Sophia Young had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Silver Stars (9-5), who came from 18 points down and finished with the second-largest turnaround (34 points) by a Fever opponent in franchise history. The Charlotte Sting a 43-point swing in a win against Indiana on Aug. 20, 2003.
Katie Douglas scored 19 points for the Fever (8-6), who made 12 3-pointers. Tamika Catchings, set for her third trip to the Olympics, had 17 points and a season-high 15 rebounds for her 75th career double-double.
