Overview
- The Sparks, who led by 20 on Friday, survived a late push to beat the expansion Toronto Tempo 99-95 in the club’s first road game.
- With Toronto missing starting center Temi Fagbenle, Los Angeles shot 64% and won the paint 54-30 as Kelsey Plum scored 27 with nine assists and Nneka Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby added 20 and 19.
- Toronto’s Brittney Sykes had 27 points, reserves Laura Juskaite added 16 and rookie Kiki Rice 11, while Marina Mabrey was held to seven after a 26-point night earlier in the week.
- Toronto trailed 21-2 early, cut the deficit to two in the final minutes, and saw Mabrey miss a tying corner three with about 30 seconds left before late free throws sealed it.
- Sparks guard Ariel Atkins sat in concussion protocol and Erica Wheeler started, and the teams play again Sunday as Toronto continues its inaugural season following a first-ever win over Seattle and wide TV reach on ION and Fubo.