Los Angeles Sparks blow out Seattle Storm 81-53, keep playoff hopes alive
Sep 12, 2021, 9:19 PM | Updated: Sep 13, 2021, 9:27 pm
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 04: Tierra Ruffin-Pratt #10 and Nneka Ogwumike #30 of the Los Angeles Sparks high-five between plays during the second half of a game against the Seattle Storm at Staples Center on August 04, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
(Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Te’a Cooper scored 19 points, Nneka Ogwumike and Erica Wheeler added 17 points apiece, and the Los Angeles Sparks routed the Seattle Storm 81-53 on Sunday night to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Sparks 81, Seattle Storm 53: Box score
The Sparks (11-19) pulled into a tie with the New York Liberty, one game behind the Washington Mystics for the eighth and final playoff spot with two games to play.
Brittney Sykes had 15 points and a season-high tying 10 rebounds for Los Angeles.
Seattle (20-11) fell into fourth place, a half-game behind Minnesota and a half-game ahead of fifth-place Phoenix. The Storm were missing Breanna Stewart, who will also miss the regular season finale because of a foot injury.
The top four teams earn a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The Storm, who went into the game as the second-highest scoring team in the league at 85.6 per game, set a season low for points while shooting 32% from the field and 22% (6 of 27) from 3-point range.
Last time: Seattle Storm hit 14 3s in 105-71 win over Mystics
