Sparks fly, knock down Sky

It's hard to believe that the Los Angeles Sparks won only three games during the first half of the WNBA season.

Then again, missing one of the all-time best players in league history can put a team in a deep hole real fast.

Former Naperville Central star Candace Parker showed her vast importance to the Sparks from start to finish Friday night at Allstate Arena.

The 6-foot-4 forward, who chose to sit the first half of the season to rejuvenate her overworked body and heal up chronic injuries, had lowly Los Angeles, in last place in the West and 10 games out of first, playing like a playoff team against the Chicago Sky.

Parker, in just her second game back from her break, went off for a game-high 31 points and 9 rebounds in the Sparks' 88-77 victory over the Sky.

The win moves Los Angeles, which had yet to win on the road, to 4-14 on the season while the Sky drops to 11-8. It's only the second home loss of the season for the Sky (7-2 at Allstate).

"I love playing here. It's nice to be back and playing in front of my hometown and my family and friends and obviously we needed this win," said Parker, who hit 12 of 20 field goals. "There were different reasons to get pumped up."

After a halftime tie (39-39), the Sky had a 1-point lead at the end of the third quarter. But Parker, who had 17 first-half points, heated up again in the fourth quarter and scored 10 points in that period alone. That helped push the Sparks' lead to as many as 12 points.

"They got in a rhythm early and that brings confidence to players who are already confident, like Candace," Chatman said of Parker and Los Angeles, which got double-figures out of all five starters. Former Sky guard Kristi Toliver had 20 points on 3-of-4 three-pointers, Nneka Ogwumike had 13 points and Jantel Lavender and Alana Beard each had 10 points.

"(Candace) knows how to get hers and knows how to get others involved and I think that's what you saw tonight."

The Sky, which has lost two games in a row, got 21 points out of Elena Delle Donne, who hit 11-of-12 free throws. Cappie Pondexter added 13 points and Jessica Breland finished with 10 points. Point guard Courtney Vandersloot tied her own Sky record for most assists in a game with 13.

"The record (for Los Angeles) is deceiving," Chatman said. "They have really good players, they're relaxing, they're prepared. We need to correct us to get some momentum back."