Mystics snap Sparks’ 4-game winning streak with fast start

The Washington Mystics doused the Sparks’ four-game winning streak Tuesday, handing Derek Fisher’s squad a 78-68 decision astatine Entertainment and Sports Arena.

The Mystics sprinted to a 14-0 lead, added different 10-0 tally earlier the extremity of the archetypal 4th and finished the archetypal fractional leading, 56-23. Washington’s largest pb was 37. But contempt the sizable deficit, the Sparks (10-14) made it respectable successful the 2nd half, erstwhile they outscored their hosts 45-22, including limiting Washington to 7 fourth-quarter points.

Still, L.A. mislaid for the archetypal clip since returning from the Olympic interruption and reincorporating Nneka Ogwumike and Kristi Toliver, the erstwhile Mystic standout, aft injuries constricted them successful the archetypal fractional of the schedule.

On Tuesday, lone Nia Coffey (15 points) scored successful treble figures for the Sparks. Nneka Ogwumike (3 for 11 and, to the Sparks’ continued consternation, zero free-throw attempts) tallied six points, the archetypal clip successful 10 games this play that she’s contributed less than 10 points.

Brittney Sykes finished with 8 points (and 2 steals and 2 blocked shots) and Toliver and Erica Wheeler scored 7 points apiece. In her 2nd crippled backmost from a genu wounded that had sidelined her since May 28, Chiney Ogwumike had 9 points and 8 rebounds successful 18 minutes.

Mystics prima Elena Delle Donne besides played her 2nd crippled aft a long, 600-plus time lack pursuing a brace of backmost surgeries – and finished with 18 points successful 18 minutes to assistance Washington (9-14) drawback a four-game losing streak.

Next up for L.A.: Two roadworthy games against first-place Connecticut connected Thursday and Saturday. The Sun defeated the Las Vegas Aces, 75-62, connected Tuesday for their sixth consecutive victory.

More to travel connected this story.