For the second time in 10 days, the Sparks rallied in the fourth quarter in Los Angeles to come up with a streak-snapping win, downing the Fever on Saturday, 88-87.<\/p>\n
Azur\u00e1 Stevens led the way offensively on the night with 21 points and nine rebounds. Kelsey Plum had a big second quarter en route to her scoring 20 points as well. Dearica Hamby had 18 and Rickea Jackson had 15.<\/p>\n
Despite giving up some early easy buckets to the Fever, the Sparks kept pace in a back-and-forth start to the game. In fact, they held a 13-10 lead midway through the quarter before an and-one by Aliyah Boston tied the game.<\/p>\n
Stevens responded with a 3-pointer to keep the Sparks in front. Not until a 3-pointer from Kelsey Mitchell did the Fever retake the lead at 19-18.<\/p>\n
A flurry from the Fever to end the period saw Makayala Timpson block Jackson at the rim before Mitchell connected on another three to give the hosts a 23-21 lead after one.<\/p>\n
While the Sparks were answering every Fever basket with one of their own, they could not mount enough stops to move back ahead. After a 3-pointer by Colson and a pair of free throws from Natasha Howard put Indiana up six, Plum knocked down an important three to halve the deficit.<\/p>\n
A jumper from Jackson and a tough finish from Plum moved them back ahead, 33-32, with just under five minutes to go in the half. Plum continued her strong quarter with a step-back 3-pointer, but the Fever continued to respond to keep the game tied at 36.<\/p>\n
Indiana again added some separation, opening up a five-point margin after a Lexie Hull 3-pointer. Jackson converted once more at the rim before stonewalling Mitchell to close out the half, letting the Sparks go into the break trailing by just three.<\/p>\n
A timely 3-pointer by Stevens early in the third kept the Fever from pulling away. Natasha Howard responded with a 3-pointer that pushed the lead back to four. Stevens again had a response with a finish on a fastbreak layup to make it a two-point game and force an Indiana timeout.<\/p>\n
In a bit of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu all over again, another Indiana push, this one opening it up to an eight-point lead, was answered with a Stevens 3-pointer. Hamby then connected on her own 3-pointer to once again make it a two-point game.<\/p>\n
Another spurt from the Sparks was capped off with a Plum 3-pointer, the 10th in 18 attempts for the Sparks, to put them up 70-67. Howard converted on the other end before the buzzer but LA still took a one-point lead into the fourth.<\/p>\n
Things started to get chippy in the fourth with the score remaining close. Lexie Hull put the Fever up three, but Stevens responded again, as she had all night.<\/p>\n
Mitchell eventually created separation with a 3-pointer to put the Fever up 80-74 just past the midway point of the period. Plum made it a two-point game with a pair of freebies, but Sophie Cunningham\u2019s and-one extended it to a five-point lead.<\/p>\n
Consecutive baskets by Jackson and Hamby again pulled it back to a one-point game, but Boston and Mitchell had responses.<\/p>\n
A big three-point play by Jackson kept the Sparks close. After a defensive stop, Jackson finished at the rim to put LA up 88-87 with 57.4 seconds remaining.<\/p>\n
Stevens then stopped Boston on a layup attempt on the other end, secured the ball and called a timeout to give the Sparks possession. LA would turn the ball over on the ensuing possession, but then dodged a pair of bullets as the Fever missed two chances to take the lead.<\/p>\n
Stevens would secure the board and split a pair of freebies with 3.3 seconds left, missing the second. Boston would miss an open jumper at the buzzer to end the game.<\/p>\n
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at <\/strong>@JacobRude<\/strong><\/a> or on BlueSky at <\/strong>@jacobrude.bsky.social<\/strong><\/a>.\u202c<\/strong><\/p>\n