Las Vegas (July 15, 2018) – Trailing by one with 8:51 left in the fourth quarter, the Sparks (14-9) went on a 33-11 run to cap a 35-point fourth quarter and blow out the Aces (10-13) 99-78. After the two teams exchanged the lead 19 times over three plus quarters, Candace Parker went off, finishing the game with 34 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Parker made five 3-pointers and shot 12-for-21 from the field overall. This is her second game this week in which she
finished one rebound or assist shy of a triple-double.

The Sparks led 11-10 midway through the first quarter. A Parker 3-pointer and assist to Odyssey Sims gave the Sparks a 16-13 lead. The game seesawed as both teams shot 50 percent in the opening quarter, but two Parker triples and 14 points helped the Sparks take a 27-24 lead after one.

Maria Vadeeva checked in early in the second and grabbed two quick rebounds and hit a midrange jumper. A Kayla McBride 3-pointer gave the Aces a 31-29 lead, but Chelsea Gray answered to tie the game. Gray finished the game with 22 points and six assists on a perfect 9-for-9 from the floor. Gray continued to get to the basket, scoring consecutive baskets in transition and forcing a timeout from Aces coach Bill Laimbeer with the score 41-38. Laimbeer received a technical after calling the timeout for arguing a call from the prior possession.

The Sparks extended their lead to six at 48-42, but the Aces ended the half on a 5-0 run to close the period at 48-47. Parker finished with 18 points in the first half and McBride led Las Vegas with 14.

After the Aces scored the first basket of the second half, a Parker basket plus the foul gave the Sparks a 51-49 lead. After getting fouled, Kelsey Plum was hit with a technical, the Aces second of the game.

A Gray layup forced an Aces timeout with the score 60-54, but Las Vegas responded with a quick 5-0 run. Sims left the game early in the second half after taking an elbow to the neck, but returned late in the third quarter. After 17 lead changes, the Sparks took 64-63 lead into the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter started with A’ja Wilson committing a clear path foul on Nneka Ogwumike, who scored 15 points. Her free throw opened the scoring in the fourth quarter and gave the Sparks a 66-63 lead and the ball. Moriah Jefferson answered with a layup and a Wilson paint score gave the Aces a 67-66 lead and forced a Los Angeles timeout.

The Sparks responded with a jaw-dropping 33-11 run, that included three triples from Parker. The Sparks scored a season high 35 points in the final period.

The Aces were riding a four-game winning streak including an 85-77 win Friday night in Minnesota against the Lynx. The Sparks came in having lost six out of eight and got a much-needed win to move them up to third place in the WNBA standings.