COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Brittney Sykes scored 17 points, Nneka Ogwumike had 15 points and 10 rebounds and the Sparks beat the Atlanta Dream, 74-68, on Thursday night to keep their WNBA playoff hopes alive.
The Sparks (12-19) are in ninth place, a half-game behind the Washington Mystics for the final playoff spot. The Sparks close the regular season Sunday at Dallas. The Mystics (who are 12-18 with a tie-breaking head-to-head record of 2-1 vs. L.A.) play at New York on Friday and host Minnesota on Sunday.
If Washington wins either of its games, it clinches the playoff berth and Coach Derek Fisher’s Sparks squad will miss the postseason for just the fifth time in the franchise’s 25-year history.
Te’a Cooper added 14 points and Nia Coffey had 10 for the Sparks on Thursday. With Erica Wheeler saddled with early foul trouble, rookie Arella Guirantes contributed seven points and three assists.
Tiffany Hayes led Atlanta (8-23) with 25 points for her eighth 20-point game of the season. Courtney Williams had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Odyssey Sims scored 11 points.
The Dream face WNBA-leading Connecticut on Sunday to close their regular season. Atlanta is 1½ games ahead of last-place Indiana.
