Late bucket, defensive stop help Sparks put away Fever

Azura Stevens and Kelsey Plum anchored the Los Angeles Sparks to a narrow 89-87 victory over the Indiana Fever on Saturday night in Indianapolis.

Stevens made a key free throw with 3.1 seconds to put the visitors ahead by two, finishing with a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds. Plum added 20 points, hitting four 3-pointers for the Sparks (6-13).

Aliyah Boston (23 points, 12 rebounds) notched her ninth double-double of the season but missed a potential game-tying jumper from the top of the key at the buzzer for the Fever (9-9).

Natasha Howard had 21 points and nine rebounds in the loss.

Indiana's Aari McDonald stole the ball off an errant pass from Julie Allemand with 30.1 seconds remaining and the Fever trailing 88-87. On the next possession, however, Lexie Hull rebounded an off-the-mark 3-pointer by McDonald but missed a jumper with 4.2 seconds to go that would have given the Fever the lead.

Rickea Jackson capped off a 9-3 run with a pair of aggressive layups and a free throw to give the Sparks the lead for good, 88-87, with 58 seconds left.

The Fever went ahead 60-52 after an midrange jumper by Howard a little more than midway through the third quarter. However, the Sparks rallied to take a one-point lead into the final period thanks to an 18-7 spurt that was capped with a layup and a 3-pointer by Plum.

The largest advantage before halftime was a 32-26 lead for the Fever after a pair of free throws by Howard with 6:25 left in the second quarter.

Plum, though, brought Los Angeles back by draining a stepback 3-pointer to give the Sparks a 36-34 lead. While she landed awkwardly on the shot, Plum was able to remain in the game.

After the Sparks knotted things up 40-40 with 1:45 left in the first half, Boston flashed her handles with a downhill, off-hand layup that put the Fever up by two. The Fever led 45-42 at the end of a back-and-forth first half that featured a combined nine ties and lead changes.

Fever guard Caitlin Clark (left groin strain) sat out her fifth consecutive game.

The Sparks are 2-6 in their last eight games, with both victories coming against the Fever, who saw a three-game winning streak come to a close.