(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Sparks Defeat Mercury 88-83, But Fall Short of WNBA Playoffs
The Los Angeles Sparks secured an 88-83 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday night, but the result wasn’t enough to keep their postseason hopes alive.
Hamby Leads Fourth-Quarter Surge
Dearica Hamby delivered a standout performance, scoring 16 of her 25 points in the fourth quarter to power the Sparks. Her decisive layup gave Los Angeles the lead at 76-74 with just over four minutes left, followed by two key three-point plays that sealed the win.
Off the bench, Rae Burrell provided a major boost with a career-high 20 points, while Kelsey Plum added 17 points.
Sparks Eliminated From Playoff Race
Despite the victory, the Sparks (21-22) were eliminated from playoff contention after the Seattle Storm edged Golden State 74-73 earlier in the evening. Los Angeles had needed both a win and a Storm loss to keep their postseason chances alive.
Mercury Look Ahead to Playoffs
The Mercury (27-16), already locked into the No. 4 seed, rested their starters in the fourth quarter. Alyssa Thomas still managed her eighth triple-double of the season with 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Satou Sabally led Phoenix with 24 points, while Sami Whitcomb chipped in 11.
Phoenix will host the defending champion New York Liberty, the No. 5 seed, in a best-of-three playoff series starting Sunday.
