Mystics-Sparks Preview

The Los Angeles Sparks will seek their seventh consecutive victory when they play host to the Washington Mystics on Sunday at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif.

The Sparks (17-1), who lead the Western Conference with the WNBA's best record, have won six in a row since suffering a 72-69 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on June 21. The Mystics (9-10) have lost two in a row and three of their last five.

Los Angeles is coming off a 94-88 victory over the Indiana Fever. The Sparks led 80-60 with just over six minutes remaining, but the Fever stormed back to cut the deficit to one in the final seconds. Candace Parker blocked a shot and converted a three-point play in the waning moments to help the Sparks escape with the victory.

Washington, which is in the midst of a five-game road trip, is coming off a 77-70 loss to the San Antonio Stars. Tayler Hill had a team-high 14 points for the Mystics. Emma Meesseman, Natasha Cloud and Kia Vaughn scored 10 points apiece. The Stars were without leading scorer Kayla McBride, who will miss the rest of the season with a foot fracture.

Los Angeles and Washington have already met once this season. It wasn't pretty. The Sparks handed the Mystics a 97-67 loss at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

Kristi Toliver had 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting in that contest for the Sparks, who shot 56.1 percent from the field. Meesseman had 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Mystics, who shot 44.4 percent but committed 21 turnovers.

Los Angeles is led by Nneka Ogwumike, who is sixth in the WNBA in scoring and fourth in rebounding, averaging 18.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Parker is averaging 16.4 points per game. Toliver averages 14.4 points.

Washington's Hill is 13th in the WNBA in scoring at 15.6 points per game. Meesseman is averaging 14.6 points and 5.6 rebounds. She leads the league in 3-point shooting at 53.1 percent. Cloud is second at 47.1 percent.