SEATTLE -- Not the best start to the long road trip.
After keeping up stride for stride with the Seattle Storm (8-4), the Los Angeles Sparks (4-8) were overcome with a 10-0 run by the home team late in the fourth quarter. The final score doesn't tell the whole story but Seattle won going away, 95-79. The Sparks finish the Commissioner's Cup with a 2-3 record.
Storm led the league in rebounding going into Tuesday night and they overpowered the Sparks on the glass. After a great showing on the boards in the first half (the Storm were only +4 at the time), the Sparks were outrebounded, 45-33.
Nneka Ogwumike took it to her old team as she led all players with 26 points. She made a clutch three with under three minutes left to kickstart that 10-0 run. Skylar Diggins-Smith would follow with her three and it was curtains for the Sparks.
The Sparks were tough all game and kept up with the Storm. They were able to get it down to 59-58 late in the third but could never wrest the lead away from the home team.
"They hurt us on the glass, obviously," Coach Curt Miller said. "A big concern there as we weren't forcing turnovers, less than 10 turnovers tonight. In a game like that, you have to one-and-done them."
The Storm ended up having 21 second chance points compared to the Sparks' 15. On the turnover front, Seattle had nine while L.A. didn't do too bad with 11.
As mentioned, it was close throughout until that late Storm run. The bench scored an outstanding 47 points. Back-up Sparks center Li Yueru, in particular, stood out as she scored a career-best 18 points in an impressive outing.
"She's very very good around the block," Miller said. "She's much more agile than people realize.
"She's got a lot of skill and a lot of potential. Her attitude is unbelievable."
Li talked about her career night.
"I have a lot of teammates help me," Li said. "They create a lot of chances for me. I really appreciate them and I really appreciate my coach."
Dearica Hamby, who won the Western Conference Player of the Year award, had her 10th double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Aari McDonald was a huge boost off the bench with 15 points. Kia Nurse was shut down in the second half due to a knee issue.
As for the Storm, Jewell Loyd had 21 points while Skylar Diggins-Smith scored 19. Ezi Magbegor grabbed 13 rebounds to lead everybody in that department.
At the very least, the Sparks have looked much better since their loss against the Lynx. Even if they did get off to yet another bad start as they were down, 6-0, early.
Speaking of the Lynx, that's who the Sparks face next on this long road trip. They will be in Minnesota for their rematch on Friday night.
The Sporting Tribune's Fredo Cervantes contributed to this report.