Sparks beat Lynx 81-71 for 9th straight home win

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Candace Parker had 20 points and 10 rebounds for her third double-double, Chelsea Gray added 17 points, and the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Minnesota Lynx 81-71 on Tuesday night.

Los Angeles used a 23-4 second-quarter spurt to take a 49-32 lead at the break and opened the second half on a 17-4 run for a 30-point advantage.

The Sparks scored just six points through the first 8 minutes of the fourth quarter as Minnesota pulled to 74-67 on Lexie Brown's fourth 3-pointer of the game. But Parker answered with a 3 and the Lynx did not get closer than eight points from there.

Alexis Jones scored a career-high 15 points — all in the first half — for Los Angeles (16-10). Nneka Ogwumike added eight points and eight rebounds for the Sparks, who have won nine straight at home.

Brown led Minnesota (13-15) with 20 points, and Napheesa Collier added 14. The Lynx have lost three straight.