| Qtr | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 LA | 27 | 24 | 28 | 19 | 13 | 111 |
 PHX | 27 | 27 | 16 | 28 | 4 | 102 |
K. Plum led all scorers (43 PTS · 2 REB · 7 AST). K. Copper answered with 41 for the Mercury, but it wasn't enough. The game turned on a 10-0 Mercury run. It changed hands 14 times and was tied on 7 separate occasions. Sparks won Q3 by 12 (28–16), the period that decided it. Field goals: Sparks 48%, Mercury 50%. From deep: Sparks 44%, Mercury 37%. Rebounds: Sparks 37, Mercury 38. Turnovers: Sparks 12, Mercury 15. Points in the paint: Sparks 40, Mercury 46.
The Sparks sit 6th in the Western Conference, 16 games back, winners of 2 straight, 3-7 over their last 10. The Mercury sit 7th in the Western Conference, 17 games back, coming off a win, 3-7 over their last 10.
The most recent baskets, with the running score beside each one. Basketball scores too often to list a game end to end, so this is the latest stretch of it rather than the whole.
Kelsey Plum makes 24-foot three pointerScore96-96Natasha Mack makes 14-foot jumper (Alyssa Thomas assists)Score96-98Kelsey Plum makes layup (Nneka Ogwumike assists)Score98-98Nneka Ogwumike makes 16-foot pullup jump shotScore100-98Kelsey Plum makes free throw 1 of 2Score101-98Kelsey Plum makes free throw 2 of 2Score102-98Cameron Brink makes 24-foot three point jumper (Nneka Ogwumike assists)Score105-98Cameron Brink makes free throw 1 of 1Score106-98Natasha Mack makes 4-foot layup (Monique Akoa Makani assists)Score106-100Erica Wheeler makes 25-foot three pointer (Ariel Atkins assists)Score109-100Cameron Brink makes free throw 1 of 2Score110-100Cameron Brink makes free throw 2 of 2Score111-100Kahleah Copper makes free throw 1 of 2Score111-101Kahleah Copper makes free throw 2 of 2Score111-102Each side's next fixtures, with the date and who travels.
Los Angeles SparksPhoenix Mercury
