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Sparks win behind Leslie’s hot hand

Associated Press

Lisa Leslie made 11 of 17 shots and scored a season-high 31 points Tuesday night to lead the sharp-shooting Los Angeles Sparks to a 73-60 win over the Phoenix Mercury in Los Angeles.

Leslie also was 9 of 12 from the free-throw line and added seven rebounds for the WNBA’s Western Conference champions, who shot .475. Nikki Teasley added 13 points and Mwadi Mabika 11 for the Sparks.

Los Angeles, which got nine rebounds from Christi Thomas, led 33-32 at halftime. But the Mercury could not keep pace after the break, and the Sparks led by as many as 14 points in the second half.

Phoenix, which shot .383, was led by Penny Taylor and Anna DeForge with 12 points each. Plenette Pierson added 10 points for the Mercury, which holds a one-game lead over Sacramento in the race for the final Western Conference playoff berth.

Both teams have three games remaining.

Diana Taurasi, Phoenix’s highly regarded rookie, shot 3 of 12 from the floor for seven points.

Shock 82, Liberty 71 (OT): At Auburn Hills, Mich., Cheryl Ford had 20 points and 13 rebounds, and Detroit moved a step closer to the WNBA playoffs with an overtime victory over New York.

The win put the defending champions (16-17) into third place in the Eastern Conference, percentage points ahead of New York (15-16) and Washington. The Shock can clinch a playoff spot with a win in Sunday’s season finale against Charlotte.

Detroit, playing without injured Olympian Swin Cash, blew a double-figure lead in the second-half, but scored the first six points of the extra session and cruised to victory.

Comets 70, Lynx 59: At Houston, the Comets kept their playoffs hopes alive with a victory over Minnesota.

Tina Thompson scored 27 points and Sheryl Swoopes added 15 for Houston, which ended a four-game losing streak.

Octavia Blue scored a season-high 10 points for the Comets, who had not won since returning from the month-long Olympic break.

The Comets must win their three remaining games and get help from Sacramento and Phoenix to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.