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WNBA Capsules: Wings beat Sky, clinch playoff berth

Dallas Wings guard Skylar Diggins-Smith, center, looks to pass against Chicago Sky forward Jessica Breland, left, and guard Cappie Pondexter during the second half on Wednesday. (Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press)
Associated Press

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Skylar Diggins-Smith had 28 points and eight assists, Glory Johnson added 25 points, and the Dallas Wings secured a playoff spot with a 99-96 victory over the Chicago Sky on Wednesday night.

It’s the first playoff appearance for the franchise since moving to Dallas in 2016.

Chicago’s Courtney Vandersloot missed a scoop shot in the lane with 1:05 left in the game and the Sky didn’t get the ball back until 7.1 seconds left.

Dallas grabbed three offensive rebounds on its possession, with Karima Christmas-Kelly getting fouled on the Wings’ 20th offensive board of the game. She made two free throws for a three-point lead and Chicago’s Allie Quigley missed a 3 at the buzzer.

Johnson also grabbed nine rebounds as Dallas (16-17) outrebounded Chicago 40-28. The Wings are a half-game behind sixth-place Phoenix.

Quigley led Chicago (12-20) with 25 points. Jessica Breland added 22 points, Stefanie Dolson scored 21, and Vandersloot had 15 points and 12 assists.

The Sky trail the Seattle Storm by two games for the final playoff spot. Each team has two games remaining with a rematch on Sunday.

Lynx 80, Fever 69

INDIANAPOLIS – Maya Moore scored 18 points, Sylvia Fowles had 12 points and 13 rebounds for her 19th double-double, and the Lynx beat the Fever.

Minnesota (25-7) won its 25th game for the sixth time in seven years and moved a game in front of Los Angeles for the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

Seimone Augustus added 14 points for Minnesota, which beat Indiana by a WNBA record 59 points when the two teams met on Aug. 18.

Moore’s layup late in the second quarter capped Minnesota’s 10-0 run for a 40-32 lead. Moore, Fowles and Augustus combined for 30 of the Lynx’s 42 first-half points.

Fowles blocked a shot and her outlet pass led to Natasha Howard’s layup, capping an 11-0 run to extend Minnesota’s lead to 74-61. It came during the Lynx’s 19-5 run to open the fourth quarter.

Erica Wheeler scored 17 points for Indiana, and Candice Dupree had 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Indiana (9-24) lost its seventh straight game and set a franchise record for losses in a season.