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  Sunday, Jul. 23 8:00pm ET
Sparks jump to top in West
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) -- The Los Angeles Sparks plan on sticking around at the top of the WNBA standings.

Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie's 20 points powers L.A. to its 17th win in last 18 games.

"If we really come out to play each and every night, I think we truly are in control of our own destiny and we can accomplish what we want to accomplish," said Allison Feaster, who had a career-high 18 points Sunday in Los Angeles' 73-68 victory over Sacramento.

Lisa Leslie scored 20 points to help the Sparks (21-3) take a half-game lead over three-time WNBA champion Houston in the Western Conference. New York beat Houston 69-64 on Sunday.

Tamecka Dixon added 14 points and seven assists, and DeLisha Milton had 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Sparks.

Yolanda Griffith had 19 points for the Monarchs (15-10), and Tangela Smith scored eight of her 10 points in the second half.

The Sparks trailed just once early in the game, but the Monarchs chipped away at their lead late in the second half, tying it at 66 with 3:55 to play.

After Milton made a free throw and Dixon added a reverse layup to put the Sparks up 69-66, Sacramento came back within one on Ruthie Bolton-Holifield's basket with 2:45 left.

But the scoring ended there for the Monarchs, while the Sparks padded their lead with a basket by Leslie with 1:09 left and Dixon's two free throws with 6.3 seconds remaining.

"We had opportunities, but came up short," Sacramento coach Sonny Allen said. "I was pleased with the effort against a team like that."

Sacramento point guard Ticha Penicherio missed the game because of plantar fasciaitis in her right foot. She leads the league in assists with a 7.7 average.
 


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RECAPS
New York 69
Houston 64

Utah 69
Orlando 66

Minnesota 80
Portland 63

Los Angeles 73
Sacramento 68