The last-place Sparks end their 7-game losing streak with a 94-88 win over WNBA leader Liberty

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dearica Hamby scored 21 points, rookie Rickea Jackson added 19 and the last-place Los Angeles Sparks beat WNBA-leading New York Liberty 94-88 on Wednesday night, ending a seven-game losing streak.

Rae Burrell made 7 of 8 field goals and 3 of 3 three-pointers and scored a season-high 18 points for the Sparks (7-24). Odyssey Sims added 14 points and seven assists and Azurá Stevens scored 10 points.

New York (26-5) has lost two of its last three games after an eight-game winning streak, leaving it just 2 1/2 games ahead of the Minnesota Lynx, who have won seven games in a row and have the best record in the league.

Jackson scored her fourth and final three-pointer to give Los Angeles a final lead of 65-63 in the final seconds of the third quarter.

Burrell scored 11 points on 4 of 4 shooting in the fourth quarter to fend off Liberty.

Breanna Stewart of New York was the top scorer with 32 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter. Sabrina Ionescu contributed 18 points and six assists.

With a free throw from Stewart, the Sparks reduced their lead to 77-74 with 4:14 minutes left, but Los Angeles countered with a 10-0 run and took a 13-point lead (87-74) with 1:41 minutes left to play, deciding the game.

Los Angeles took an early lead thanks to a scoring streak from Jackson. Jackson scored 11 points – including three 3-pointers in less than two minutes – during a 15-0 run that made it 24-10 late in the first quarter.

Jackson made 7 of 11 shots from the field and 4 of 6 three-pointers. The No. 4 pick in the 2024 draft shot just 21% (15 of 71) from long range in her first 28 WNBA games. In her last three games, she made 13 of 19 (68%) three-pointers.

New York tied the score four times in the third quarter but never took the lead. The Liberty last took the lead 4:17 into the first quarter, when the score was 10-9.

Ionescu, who made 7 of 21 field goals and 3 of 14 three-pointers, has made a three-pointer in 55 consecutive games, tying Diana Taurasi for the second-longest streak in WNBA history. Ivory Latta made a three-pointer in 66 consecutive games for the Washington Mystics from June 21, 2013, to June 14, 2015.

Ionescu also overtook Vickie Johnson (787) and is second on the Liberty’s all-time assists list with 792 assists, behind five-time WNBA All-Star Teresa Weatherspoon (1,306).

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