LA Sparks cool off Fever, keep perfect home record

LOS ANGELES >> As has been their habit this season, the Sparks shook off a slow start at home and eventually pull away to keep a perfect record at Staples Center. They led by just three points after the first quarter but stymied the Indiana Fever defensively in the second and third quarter as they went on to win, 80-62.

The victory brought the Sparks’ home record to 9-0, the last team in the WNBA to remain unbeaten at home. Their overall record of 14-5 also keeps them second in the league standings which are used to seed the playoffs, two games back of the first-place Minnesota Lynx.

Although his roster features two of the most versatile scorers in women’s basketball history in Candace Parker and Nneke Ogwumike, Sparks head coach Brian Agler has pushed a constant focus on defense for his team. That’s so that on nights like Monday, when his two All-Stars combined for just 28 points — one game after combining for 49 — the Sparks can still come out on top.

After a first quarter that saw them up 22-19, the Sparks clamped down in the second and third quarters, allowing just 15 points in the second (on 5-for-17 shooting) and just 12 points in the third. The Sparks forced 15 turnovers in the first three quarters and disrupted the Fever regularly. Indiana didn’t hit 20 points in any quarter.

While Parker and Ogwumike didn’t have big games in terms of points production, they combined for nine assists and they wreaked havoc on the Fever defensively. Ogwumike had 12 rebounds and three steals to go with her 14 points and Parker had nine rebounds, three steals and four blocked shots.

Her first block was a volleyball spike on a layup attempt by Erica Wheeler, as Parker smacked the ball out of the air back down onto Wheeler, who was lying on the baseline. Her third block went three rows deep as she turned and roared at the crowd.

Chelsea Gray led the Sparks in scoring with 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting. Briann January led the Fever (7-12) with 12 points.

Next up for the Sparks is another game at Staples Center, at 12:30 p.m. Thursday vs. Chicago.

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