W.N.B.A. Playoffs: Sun Rout Sparks, and Mystics Beat Aces
Jonquel Jones scored 27 points, and Courtney Williams added 25, helping the Connecticut Sun rout the visiting Los Angeles Sparks, 94-68, on Thursday night and take a two-games-to-none lead in the W.N.B.A. semifinals.
The Sun led by 1 point at the half before Williams blew the game open. She scored 13 of her points in the third quarter.
Connecticut led by 70-57 after three quarters and scored 10 of the first 12 points in the fourth, dashing any hopes Los Angeles had of a comeback. Sparks Coach Derek Fisher pulled his starters with 5 minutes 31 seconds left and his team down by 23 points.
Nneka Ogwumike scored 18 points and Riquna Williams 14 for the Sparks, who will have to win three straight games to make the finals for a third time in five years.
Riquna Williams scored 7 points in the first five minutes. Los Angeles was leading by 16-6 midway through the period when Connecticut called timeout. The Sun then scored 9 straight points, narrowing the deficit to 1, before the Sparks closed the quarter with the final 6 points.
The Sun battled back and took their first lead of the game on a basket by Jones with 1:04 left in the half. Connecticut led, 41-40, at the half.
Emma Meesseman tied a career high with 30 points, and host Washington beat Las Vegas to take a 2-0 lead in their semifinal series.
Natasha Cloud added 18 points and 11 assists for the Mystics, while Elena Delle Donne had 14 points and 10 rebounds on the day she was honored with the league’s Most Valuable Player Award.
Washington can wrap up the best-of-five series and seal a return to the W.N.B.A. finals on Sunday in Las Vegas.
Liz Cambage had 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Aces, who have now lost four of five meetings against the Mystics this year between the regular season and playoffs.
Kelsey Plum added 19 points and 10 assists for Las Vegas, which fought back from an 11-point second-quarter deficit to take a brief lead in the third, only to fade late.
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