LOS ANGELES -- Nneka Ogwumike had 24 points and 10 rebounds, Chelsea Gray scored a career-high 23 points and the Los Angeles Sparks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 90-85 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday night.
Jantel Lavender added 17 points for Los Angeles (25-8), ranked second in the AP power poll.
Phoenix guard DeWanna Bonner made the first of two free throws with 1:15 left. She missed the second, ran down the rebound and Candice Dupree hit a long jumper to pull the Mercury to 84-82. But Gray answered with a pullup jumper and after a Phoenix turnover, Gray hit two free throws with 23.4 seconds left for an 88-82 lead.
Bonner had 20 points for eighth-ranked Phoenix (14-18), which is one game ahead of Washington for the final playoff spot.
Phoenix tied it at 77 with 3:29 left, but Los Angles scored the next seven points. Gray hit a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left on the shot clock, and Ogwumike and Gray each made two free throws for an 84-77 lead.
The Mercury could have secured a playoff berth with a win -- or a Washington loss -- but will try again in Thursday's final home game of the regular season.
