Sue Bird’s free throws lift Seattle Storm past Los Angeles Sparks

SEATTLE – Sue Bird hit two free throws with 1.6 seconds left in the game to snap a tie, and the Seattle Storm hung on to beat the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday night, 65-63.

Bird finished with 12 points and Lauren Jackson and Tanisha Wright led Seattle (17-12) with 14 points apiece.

Candace Parker scored 19 points to lead Los Angeles (12-17) and made it a double-double with 14 rebounds. Techia Penicheiro also had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Wright, trying to shoot through traffic with the clock winding down, had her shot blocked. But the loose ball came out to Bird at the left of the lane, and she was fouled by Kristi Toliver to earn a trip to the line.

Bird swished both shots to clinch Seattle’s fourth straight victory.

Seattle has beaten the Sparks in nine of their last 10 meetings.

The defending champion Storm reduced their magic number to one to qualify for the WNBA playoffs. Los Angeles fell two games behind San Antonio for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with five games left.