Brittney Sykes' season-high 25-point effort lifts Sparks to close win over Wings

Brittney Sykes scored a season-high 25 points, Nneka Ogwumike had 16 points and 10 rebounds and the Los Angeles Sparks held off the Dallas Wings 93-91 on Tuesday night in Los Angeles.

Sykes made two free throws with 18.2 seconds left for a five-point lead but Isabelle Harrison sank a three-pointer to get Dallas within 93-91 with 5.5 remaining. Sykes was called for an offensive foul on the inbounds play, and after a timeout Arike Ogunbowale drove to the basket and was fouled with 0.8 left. She missed the first free throws and was called for a violation on the second.

Ogunbowale went over and kicked the scorer's table out of frustration and Los Angeles missed the technical free throw to end it.

Liz Cambage added 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Los Angeles (5-6). Katie Lou Samuelson scored 13.

Los Angeles scored the opening five points and led throughout until 6:11 remaining in the fourth quarter when Marina Mabrey made a layup in the lane to give Dallas a 79-78 advantage. Los Angeles went ahead 88-83 with three minutes left and didn't score again until Cambage converted a three-point play with 36 seconds left.

Harrison had 20 points and eight rebounds for Dallas (5-4). Mabrey and Arike Ogunbowale each scored 16.

Brooklyn Nets' star Kevin Durant sat courtside.

Wilson, Young lead Aces to big win over Sun

A'ja Wilson had 24 points and 14 rebounds, Jackie Young scored 21 points and the Las Vegas Aces beat the Connecticut Sun 89-81 on Tuesday night in a battle of the top teams in each conference in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas (9-1) won its seventh straight game for the best 10-game start in team history.

Gray also completed a three-point play with 11.9 seconds left in the third quarter for a 72-59 lead and her four-point possession, after Alyssa Thomas' technical foul, made it 76-63.

Connecticut went on a 14-2 run to get within 87-79 with a minute to play, but the Aces put their starters back in and Wilson scored in the paint.

Plum finished with 18 points and seven assists and Gray scored 13 points for Las Vegas (9-1).

DeWanna Bonner scored 14 points and Thomas had 12 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for Connecticut (6-3). Jonquel Jones added eight points and 13 rebounds, and Courtney Williams scored 13 points.

Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady sat courtside.

Vandersloot secures Sky win over Mercury

Courtney Vandersloot scored 18 points, Candace Parker grabbed 11 rebounds and the Chicago Sky beat the short-handed Phoenix Mercury 73-70 on Tuesday night in a WNBA Finals rematch.

Phoenix star Diana Taurasi was ejected with 3:43 left in the second quarter for arguing a no-call with an official. The Mercury were trailing 31-21 at the time, but rallied in the third quarter by scoring 31 points and shooting 72 per cent from the floor.

Vandersloot made one of two free throws with nine seconds left in the fourth quarter for a 72-70 lead, and she knocked the ball away from Skylar Diggins-Smith on a drive at the other end. Rebekah Gardner also went one for two at the line for a three-point lead and former Chicago player Diamond DeShields did not hit the rim on a corner three-pointer as time expired.

Kahleah Copper added 11 points, and Emma Meesseman and Gardner each scored 10 for Chicago (5-3). Parker was just two of nine from the field as both teams shot under 42 per cent.

Tina Charles scored 25 points for Phoenix (2-7). Diggins-Smith had 12 points and eight assists and DeShields added 10 points and seven rebounds.

Chicago jumped out to a 20-10 first-quarter lead after holding Phoenix to 4-of-20 shooting. Charles had six of the Mercury's 10 points.

Mystics cruise past Fever

Ariel Atkins scored a season-high 28 points, Elena Delle Donne scored 13 of her 19 points in the first half and the Washington Mystics beat the Indiana Fever 87-75 on Tuesday night.

Elizabeth Williams led Washington's defensive effort with 15 rebounds and six blocks, while also scoring 10 points for her first double-double with the Mystics. Natasha Cloud also had a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists.

Washington (7-3) trailed 46-38 at halftime before outscoring Indiana 49-29 in the second half. The Mystics finished with a 44-32 advantage on the glass.

Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana (3-8) with 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting. NaLyssa Smith added 13 points, Victoria Vivians had 11 and Queen Egbo grabbed 10 rebounds. Indiana was 30-for-74 shooting (40.5 per cent) and turned it over 13 times.