Hammon leads Silver Stars over Sparks
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Becky Hammon scored 26 points to lead the San Antonio Silver Stars to a 79-69 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Monday night.
Sophia Young had 18 points and 10 rebounds while Jia Perkins added 14 points as the Silver Stars improved to a league-best 5-1 on the road.
San Antonio (9-4) let a 15-point, first-quarter lead dwindle to one in the fourth before holding on to win their second straight following three consecutive losses.
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Jantel Lavender and Natasha Lacy scored 14 points each for the Sparks (6-8), while Jenna O'Hea finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
After Lacy's runner in the lane got the Sparks within 61-60, Perkins hit a jumper and Young had a jumper and a steal that led to a layup to put the Silver Stars ahead 67-61 with 6:13 remaining.
The Sparks lost their second straight at home after opening the season 4-0 at Staples Center. They blew a 24-point lead early in the third quarter during Sunday's 89-85 overtime loss to Washington. It was the second-largest comeback in WNBA history.
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"You never want to lose at home, you always want to protect your home court," Lacy said. "We have to get more victories wherever we play."
Hammon broke out of a mini-slump by hitting 8 of 15 from the field including going 4 of 8 from 3-point range. She leads San Antonio in scoring with a 16.3 average but had just 10 points on 4-of-24 shooting in her last two outings.
Hammon is hoping to be named an All-Star for the seventh time when the league announces reserves Tuesday for the July 23 game at AT&T Center in San Antonio.
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"It would be great," Hammon said. "I know we are going to have a great crowd, our city and fans are really excited about it. To be a part of it, obviously, is a huge honor."
Los Angeles starters combined for only 15 points, with new coach Joe Bryant giving heavy minutes to the reserves as he continues to mix-and-match his rotations. Tina Thompson, the WNBA's career scoring leader with 6,546 points, was held without a point for the first time in 413 regular-season games.
"Not that I know of," Thompson said. "And I don't think I ever played less than five minutes either."
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After Ebony Hoffman scored the game's first basket for the Sparks' lone lead, the Silver Stars followed with 15 straight points. Hammon hit a 3-pointer and a layup in the run for the 15-2 lead midway through the quarter.
The Sparks, who missed 10 of their first 11 shots, snapped a 4:47 scoring drought on Ebony Hoffman's free throw. Trailing by 10 points at halftime, they trimmed the deficit to 45-41 when O'Hea buried a 3-pointer from the corner.
Another 3-pointer from O'Hea capped a 10-3 run to close the quarter as Los Angeles made it 57-55 heading into the fourth.