Sparks cruise to 78-67 win over Lynx

Candace Parker had 24 points and 10 rebounds and Chelsea Gray added 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals to help the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Minnesota Lynx 78-67 on Sunday.

Los Angeles (24-8) clinched at least a top-two seed in the WNBA playoffs — which begin Sept. 6 — and pulled within a half-game of the league-leading Lynx. The Sparks beat Minnesota in the WNBA Finals last year on Nneka Ogwumike’s last-second putback.

Minnesota (24-7) led 6-0, but the Sparks scored 22 of the next 29 points, including 10 by Parker, and led the rest of the way.

Maya Moore hit a 3-pointer to pull the Lynx within three points midway through the second quarter, but Gray scored six points during a 13-2 run to close the half and take a 46-32 lead into the break. Minnesota trailed by double figures the rest of the way.

Sylvia Fowles led the Lynx with 17 points and 14 rebounds.