Candace Parker scored 22 points and keyed a second-quarter run that led the Los Angeles Sparks over the Seattle Storm 75-64 Sunday in the deciding third game of the WNBA Western Conference semifinals.
It was the second straight year the Sparks eliminated the Storm in the opening round by winning Game 3 in Seattle. Los Angeles bounced back from Friday night's 75-74 loss in Game 2, in which the Storm scored five points in the final 14 seconds.
The Sparks advanced to play the winner of the Phoenix-San Antonio series for the conference championship. The Mercury and Silver Stars play Game 3 Monday night in Phoenix.
Parker scored six points during an early 13-0 burst that gave the Sparks a big cushion.
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