Sparks down Sun again, extend win streak to 4

Kelsey Plum scored 30 points and Dearica Hambry added 20 to go along with 11 rebounds, lifting the Los Angeles Sparks to a 101-86 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Thursday night in Uncasville, Conn.

Plum's point total was her highest since she erupted for 37 in Los Angeles' 84-67 win over the Golden State Valkyries on May 16.

Plum made 10 of 15 shots from the floor on Thursday and Hamby sank all but one of her nine attempts for the Sparks (10-14), who defeated the Sun (3-20) for the second time during their season-high four-game winning streak.

Plum scored a team-high 23 points and Hambry added 17 to go along with seven rebounds in Los Angeles' 92-88 home victory over Connecticut on July 13.

Azura Stevens sank 4 of 7 attempts from 3-point range on Thursday to highlight her 17-point, eight-rebound performance.

The Sparks shot 52.4 percent from the floor and enjoyed a 42-32 edge in points in the paint to send the Sun to their fourth loss in a row and 14th in their last 15 games.

Connecticut's Tina Charles collected 24 points and 10 rebounds while Olivia Nelson-Ododa had 17 points and Bria Hartley added 16.

Marina Mabrey scored seven points on 2-of-12 shooting off the bench for the Sun in her return from a nine-game absence due to an ankle injury.

The Sparks were nursing a slim one-point lead at halftime before scoring 19 of the first 29 points of the third quarter to take a 64-54 advantage. Plum exploited the interior for a trio of baskets to go along with three free throws during that stretch.

The Sun trimmed their deficit to seven points early in the fourth quarter, however the Sparks steadily increased their lead to 18 at 90-72 after Plum sandwiched two 3-pointers around two free throws.

The outcome was never in doubt the rest of the way.

--Field Level Media