Leslie Sparks Los Angeles

Lisa Leslie had 26 points and 15 rebounds - her 11th double-double of the season - as the Los Angeles Sparks held off the Phoenix Mercury 75-66 Monday night to keep their WNBA playoff hopes alive.

Tamecka Dixon added a season-high-tying 23 points for the Sparks (12-13), who cut the Mercury’s Western Conference lead to one game with three games remaining.

The Sparks lead the season series 2-1. The teams meet in the regular-season finale Sunday at Phoenix.

Jennifer Gillom led the Mercury (13-12) with 18 points. Bridget Pettis added 12 and Michele Timms 11.

L.A. closed the game with an 8-1 run after the Mercury got within three points with 3:11 remaining on a basket by Tara Williams.

Phoenix never led in having its three-game winning streak snapped before a crowd of 10,496.

The Sparks saw their 42-37 halftime lead cut to one point on two free throws by Marlies Askamp early in the second half.

Los Angeles ran off nine straight - including seven by Dixon - for its largest lead of the game, 53-43.

The Mercury cut the Sparks’ lead to 63-59 with 4:53 remaining, but was held to five points over the final 4:09.

Sparks 75, Mercury 66 Inglewood, Calif.

Phoenix (66) - Hagiwara 0-2 0-0 0, Foster 2-5 0-0 4, Gillom 8-18 1-2 18, Pettis 2-7 8-8 12, Timms 3-11 4-6 11, Askamp 2-9 2-3 6, Jackson 1-2 0-0 2, Webb 3-4 1-2 7, Williams 3-8 0-0 6, Lieberman-Cline 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-67 16-21 66.

Los Angeles (75) - Zheng 4-6 0-0 8, Colleton 3-4 1-2 8, Leslie 8-15 10-13 26, Toler 2-8 4-6 8, Dixon 7-17 9-11 23, Charles 0-1 0-0 0, Burgess 2-6 0-2 2, Wideman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-57 24-34 75.

Halftime-Los Angeles 42, Phoenix 37. 3-Point goals-Phoenix 2-16 (Gillom 1-5, Timms 1-5, Lieberman-Cline 0-1, Pettis 0-2, Williams 0-3), Los Angeles 1-8 (Colleton 1-1, Toler 0-1, Leslie 0-2, Dixon 0-4). Fouled out-None. Rebounds- Phoenix 36 (Askamp 9), Los Angeles 54 (Leslie 15). Assists-Phoenix 17 (Timms 4), Los Angeles 18 (Toler 8). Total fouls-Phoenix 27, Los Angeles 18. A-10,496.