SPARKS TONIGHT

vs. Charlotte, 7:30

* Site--Great Western Forum.

* Records--Sting 15-15, Sparks 17-11.

* Radio--KEZY-AM (1190).

* Season series--Sparks, 1-0.

* Update--Two teams trying to backpedal into the WNBA playoffs meet tonight, with the Sparks trying to break their four-game losing streak and the Sting bringing in a three-game losing streak. . The Sparks lost at home to Detroit before losing on the road to Sacramento, Houston and Washington. Tonight’s game is the first of three Forum games this week for the Sparks, who end the regular season Saturday at Utah. Somewhere in there, Los Angeles should clinch a WNBA Western Conference playoff bid, either by winning a game or by the Minnesota Lynx losing one. Actually, the Sparks could be in the playoffs before the opening tip tonight. Cleveland plays at Minnesota (13-15) 2 1/2 hours before the Sparks and Sting. A Minnesota loss would, of course, do the job for the Sparks. Phoenix (13-15), beaten three times by the Sparks, lost out on the head-to-head tie-breaker. Charlotte is only 1 1/2 games behind East leader New York (16-13). Charlotte would face either Detroit or Orlando in a first-round playoff, while the Sparks figure to meet Sacramento.