PHOENIX (AP) — Satou Sabally scored 25 points, Alyssa Thomas added 19 and the Phoenix Mercury held off the Los Angeles Sparks 89-86 on Wednesday night.
Two free throws from Kelsey Plum had the Sparks, who trailed by 14 early in the fourth quarter, within one at 78-77 with 2 1/2 minutes to play in a game of long runs but Thomas scored the next six Phoenix points.
Plum kept pace, scoring the last 11 points of the game for Los Angeles. That included the 500th 3-pointer of her career and then a shot with four seconds left. On that tightly contested desperation shot from the left wing, her foot was on the line so the Mercury led 87-86.
A second later Sabally made two free throws and Plum’s half-court heave wasn’t close.
Monique Akoa Makani scored 11 points for the Mercury (2-0), who turned 17 L.A. turnovers — eight by Plum, who played all 40 minutes — into 23 points.
Plum had 25 points for the Sparks (1-2) and Azura Stevens had 23 with 17 rebounds. Dearica Hamby added 15.
Twice early in the fourth quarter the lead was 14 but Hamby scored seven-straight points and the Mercury cut it to 78-75 on a layup by Odyssey Sims with three minutes to play.
Up next
Both teams play Friday night. Phoenix is at Seattle, and Los Angeles hosts Golden State.
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