LOS ANGELES — The short-handed Sparks used a strong start to build a 10-point halftime lead on the Las Vegas Aces, but they could not hold off the reigning WNBA champions in a 94-85 loss on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Jackie Young scored 30 points on 12-of-18 shooting and the Aces took control in the third quarter, when they made 12 of 16 shots to outscore the Sparks 31-17 and take a 67-63 lead into the fourth quarter. A’ja Wilson scored six straight points before Young had consecutive layups to put the Aces ahead 61-59 at the 2:34 mark.
Wilson finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds for Las Vegas (2-0). A pair of former Sparks had a hand in the win. Chelsea Gray had 16 points and eight assists and Candace Parker had 10 points and eight rebounds against the team she spent her first 13 seasons with.
Gray’s pull-up jumper with 1:30 left gave the Aces an 89-79 lead.
The Sparks (1-1) were led by center Chiney Ogwumike, who finished with a team-high 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists on a night when the team was without her sister, team captain Nneka Ogwumike, who missed the game with a non-COVID illness. Lexie Brown had 15 points and five assists and three other Sparks scored 11 points.
“Fight. I want to see our fight,” Sparks coach Curt Miller said before the game. “Not only are we a shell of what we could be once we get completely healthy but now add on top of it that a percentage of our team is under the weather. … I just want to see whoever we roll out there with that we fight against a tremendous team.”
Miller said Nneka, who had a team-best 17 points in their season-opening win against the Phoenix Mercury last week, was dealing with flu-like symptoms.
The Sparks jumped out to a 14-7 lead early, behind eight quick points from Brown. Brown scored 10 of her points in the first quarter on 4-for-4 shooting, helping the Sparks take a 25-15 lead into the second period.
A buzzer-beating 3-pointer by guard Layshia Clarendon gave…
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