Sparks waste 14-point second-half lead, lose to New York Liberty

NEWARK, N.J. -- Cappie Pondexter had 21 points and 12 rebounds, Plenette Pierson scored 17 points, and the New York Liberty rallied to beat the Sparks, 73-71, on Sunday.

Essence Carson scored 14 points, including 11 during a 21-3 run in the third quarter that gave the Liberty (12-17) the lead after it trailed by 14 points in the second half.

Kristi Toliver scored 17 points, Candace Parker had 14 points and 15 rebounds, and rookie Nneka Ogwumike had 13 points for the Sparks (20-10), who remained two games ahead of San Antonio for second place in the West. The Silver Stars lost, 81-62, to Minnesota earlier Sunday.

New York's win, coupled with Chicago's 82-77 loss at Connecticut, moved the Liberty half a game ahead of the Sky for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Carson's three-pointer tied the score at 70-70 with 48 seconds left, and Pondexter made two free throws 26 seconds later to put the Liberty ahead, 72-70.

Ebony Hoffman made one of two free throws for the Sparks to make it 72-71 with 15 seconds left. On the ensuing inbounds play, the Sparks double-teamed Pondexter and tied her up when she received the pass near half court, forcing a jump ball between her and the Sparks' DeLisha Milton-Jones.

The Sparks grabbed the tipped ball and called time out. Toliver then missed a three-point shot with about five seconds left; Pondexter corralled the loose ball, was fouled and made one of two from the line. Parker got the ball and when she dribbled, it was knocked away by Pondexter as time expired. After a lengthy video review, the officials ruled there was no time remaining when the ball went out of bounds.

After trailing by 15 in the second quarter, New York cut the deficit to 48-36 at halftime.

Then Ogwumike made one of two free throws and scored a three-point play to give the Sparks their biggest lead of the second half at 52-38 with about 8 1/2 minutes remaining in the third quarter.

The Liberty then went on its big run to take a four-point lead into the fourth, with Carson's jumper with 1:38 left in the period tying the score at 55-55 and her go-ahead basket 53 seconds later giving New York its first lead of the game.

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Sparks waste 14-point second-half lead, lose to New York Liberty