Ogwumike and Hamby have double-doubles to help Sparks beat Fire 89-72

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nneka Ogwumike had 20 points and a season-high 17 rebounds, Dearica Hamby added 22 points and 12 rebounds and the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Portland Fire 89-72 on Sunday to snap their three-game losing streak.

Ogwumike had her third consecutive double-double and fifth this season. Kelsey Plum finished with 16 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals for the Sparks (5-6). Rae Burrell added 10 points.

Megan Gustafson had 16 points and a season-high 12 rebounds, her first double-double since 2023, for the Fire (6-7). Carla Leite and Emily Engstler added 10 points apiece.

Portland committed nine — which included six steals by LA — of its 15 turnovers and was 5-of-14 shooting as it was outscored 23-12 in the third, the Fire’s lowest-scoring quarter this season. Plum had nine points and two assists, while Hamby scored seven in the period to help the Sparks take a 64-55 lead into the fourth.

Plum stole the ball from Leite, then threw it ahead to Hamby for a fast-break layup that capped an 11-2 run and gave Los Angeles an 18-point lead with 6:07 to play.

The Fire tied a season low with three 3-pointers and shot a season-worst 10.7% (3 of 28) from behind the arc.

The Sparks — who entered allowing 93 points allowed per game, the most in the WNBA — gave up their fewest points this season.

Portland had lost a season-high three consecutive games and four of its last five.

Up next

Sky: Host Atlanta on Tuesday.

Tempo: Host Connecticut on Wednesday.

___

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball