Rickea Jackson, Kelsey Plum lead the Sparks past the Clark-less Fever 100-91 for 7th win in 8 games

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rickea Jackson scored 17 of her 25 points in the second half, Kelsey Plum had 25 points and 11 assists, and the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Indiana Fever 100-91 on Tuesday night for their seventh win in eight games.

Jackson’s 3-pointer with 6:23 remaining in the fourth quarter gave Los Angeles a 90-68 lead. Indiana answered with a 21-5 run to get within 95-89, but Azura Stevens made her fifth straight 3-pointer with 1:17 left for a nine-point lead to help seal the victory.

Stevens finished with 19 points on 7-for-8 shooting from the field, and Dearica Hamby added 16 points for Los Angeles (13-15). Cameron Brink tied her career high with five blocks in her third game back from an injury.

Caitlin Clark missed her eighth straight game due to a groin strain for Indiana (17-13). Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 34 points, including seven 3-pointers. Natasha Howard added 17 points and Aliyah Boston had her streak of double-doubles halted at six by finishing with 15 points and nine rebounds.

The Sparks have won all three games against the Fever this season, with the regular-season finale coming in Los Angeles on Aug. 29.

Indiana had its five-game win streak halted. The run was the Fever’s longest since winning six straight in 2015, during current head coach Stephanie White’s first tenure with the club.

Hamby and Plum each scored 14 points in the first half, and Los Angeles closed on a 23-8 run to build a 54-43 lead at the break. The Sparks were 7 of 14 from 3-point range by the intermission, with Stevens, Jackson and Plum combining to make 6 of 7.

A sex toy thrown from the stands landed near Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham. The incident occurred with 2:05 left in the second quarter with the object landing in the lane near Cunningham, who had been vocal on social media about fans throwing the toys on the court. Kelsey Plum kicked it into the stands. Cunningham walked over to the Sparks bench and was laughing about it.

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