Late bucket, defensive stop help Sparks put away Fever

Azura Stevens and Kelsey Plum anchored the Los Angeles Sparks to a narrow 89-87 victory over the host Indiana Fever on Saturday night in Indianapolis.

Stevens made a key free throw with 3.1 seconds to put the visitors ahead by two, finishing with a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds. Plum added 20 points, hitting four 3-pointers for the Sparks (6-13).

Aliyah Boston (23 points, 12 rebounds) notched her ninth double-double of the season but missed a potential game-tying jumper from the top of the key at the buzzer for the Fever (9-9).

Natasha Howard had 21 points and nine rebounds in the loss.

Indiana's Aari McDonald stole the ball off a bad pass from Julie Allemand with 30.1 seconds remaining and the Fever trailing 88-87. On the next possession, though, Lexie Hull rebounded an off-the-mark 3-pointer by McDonald but missed a jumper with 4.2 seconds to go that would have given the Fever the lead.

Rickea Jackson capped off a 9-3 run with a pair of aggressive layups and a free throw to give the Sparks the lead for good, 88-87, with 58 seconds left.

The Fever went ahead 60-52 after an midrange jumper by Howard a little more than midway through the third quarter. However, the Sparks rallied to take a one-point lead into the final period thanks to an 18-7 spurt that was capped with a layup and a 3-pointer by Plum.

The largest advantage before halftime was a 32-26 lead for the Fever after a pair of free throws by Howard with 6:25 left in the second quarter.

Plum, though, brought Los Angeles back by draining a stepback three-pointer to give the Sparks a 36-34 lead. While she landed awkwardly on the shot, Plum was able to remain in the game.

After the Sparks knotted things up 40-40 with 1:45 left in the first half, Boston flashed her handles with a downhill, off-hand layup that put the Fever up by two. The Fever led 45-42 at the end of a back-and-forth first half that featured a combined nine ties and lead changes.

Fever guard Caitlin Clark (left groin strain) sat out her fifth consecutive game.

The Sparks are 2-6 in their last eight games, with both victories against the Fever, who saw a three-game winning streak come to a close.

--Field Level Media