Dearica Hamby sets Sparks' record for points in a season in win - Los Angeles Times
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Dearica Hamby sets Sparks’ single-season record for points in win over Lynx

Sparks forward Dearica Hamby drives to the basket during a 68-50 win over the Minnesota Lynx.
Sparks forward Dearica Hamby drives to the basket during a 68-50 win over the Minnesota Lynx in the Sparks’ season finale Thursday.
(David Sherman / NBAE via Getty Images)
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Dearica Hamby scored 20 points, Rickea Jackson added 19 and the last-place Sparks closed the WNBA season with a 68-51 win over the playoff-bound Minnesota Lynx on Thursday night.

The Sparks (8-32) ended an eight-game losing streak and stopped Minnesota’s seven-game winning streak. In addition, Hamby passed Nneka Ogwumike as the Sparks’ single-season points leader, finishing with 691 points.

The second-seeded Lynx (30-10) are home against seventh-seeded Phoenix in the best-of-three opening round on Sunday afternoon.

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The Sparks have missed a huge moment. With no practice facility, the franchise has missed out on the explosion of interest in the WNBA.

Sept. 19, 2024

Kia Nurse added 12 points for the Sparks.

Resting All-Star and Olympian Napheesa Collier and three-point sharpshooter Kayla McBride, the Lynx had their worst offensive output of the season.

No player reached double figures for the Lynx as they shot 28.6% (16 of 56) from the field and had 17 turnovers. Diamond Miller and Alissa Pili led the way with eight while Natisha Hiedeman had seven and Myisha Hines-Allen, Bridget Carleton, Alanna Smith and Courtney Williams all had six.

The Sparks took the lead early and kept it. They had a 16-point lead in the first half, but settled for a 38-30 advantage at the break.

It was 53-44 heading into the fourth quarter. Williams completed a four-point play with 7:39 remaining to pull Minnesota within 53-48 but L.A. scored the next 13 points for a 66-48 lead with under three minutes remaining. Nurse had three of her four three-pointers in the surge and Rae Burrell added another.

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The Sparks went 2-14 after the Olympic break and will have the best odds in the WNBA draft lottery.

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