Sparks rally past Storm to keep playoff hopes alive

SEATTLE (AP) — Dearica Hamby had 27 points and 11 rebounds, Rickea Jackson added 23 points and the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Seattle Storm 91-85 on Monday night.

Seattle led 85-80 with 2:47 to play but Hamby scored five points and Jackson four in an 11-0 closing run to pull the Sparks within 1 1/2 games of the Storm and Indiana for the final two playoff spots. Seattle missed its last five shots.

Kelsey Plum added 14 points for Los Angeles (19-20) and Rae Burrell had 11. Hamby had 11 rebounds as the Sparks dominated the boards 37-23. The also had a 60-30 advantage on points in the paint.

Nneka Ogwumike had 21 points on five first half 3-pointers and two second half three-point plays for the Storm (22-20). Skylar Diggins also had 21 points and Ezi Magbegor added 11.

Gabby Williams had two baskets and an assist to fuel a 10-0 run for the Storm, who led 25-20 after one quarter.

Ogwumike had three 3-pointers in less than a minute, making her 5 for 5, for a 36-25 lead 3 1/2 minutes into the second quarter. The Storm had six 3s in the quarter with Erica Wheeler's in the closing seconds making it 53-39 at the half.

Diggins opened the second half with a 3 for a 17-point lead but the Sparks hit their first five shots and were 12 for 17 in the quarter. The final shot was a buzzer-beating one-handed push shot 3-pointer by Jackson from beyond the top of the key, to cut the Storm lead to 73-68 entering the fourth quarter.

Los Angeles plays at second-place Atlanta on Wednesday and Friday. The Storm are home against New York on Friday.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball