The Los Angeles Sparks earned a 106-101 victory over the Portland Fire behind strong performances from Dearica Hamby and Nneka Ogwumike.
Hamby led Los Angeles with 23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal, shooting 11-for-15 from the field. Ogwumike added another double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while also contributing two assists and a steal.
Erica Wheeler helped control the offense with 12 points, eight assists and three steals. Ariel Atkins finished with 12 points and six assists, Rae Burrell added 12 points and four assists, and Jihyun Park contributed 12 points and four assists off the bench.
Portland was led by Bridget Carleton, who recorded 24 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and one block. Carleton did most of her damage from beyond the arc, knocking down seven three-pointers.
Carla Leite added 21 points and eight assists, while Megan Gustafson finished with 19 points and eight rebounds. Teja Oblak contributed 12 points, three assists and two steals off the bench.
Both teams received production throughout their rotations, but Los Angeles’ frontcourt made the difference. Hamby and Ogwumike combined for 45 points and 20 rebounds, giving the Sparks the interior production they needed to hold off Portland.
The Fire remained within striking distance behind Carleton’s outside shooting and Leite’s playmaking, but the Sparks made enough plays to close out the five-point victory.
