LOS ANGELES, June 14 (Ticker) -- After Lisa Leslie saved the game, the
Los Angeles Sparks withstood a furious finish.
Leslie made a game-saving block at the end of regulation and
scored five points in overtime to lift the Sparks to a 76-74
victory over the Connecticut Sun.
Connecticut had a chance to win at the end of regulation and
held for a final shot with the score tied at 64-64. Katie Douglas drove past Leslie and went up for a left-handed layup
that Leslie swatted away with one second left in the second
half.
Leslie's three-point play five seconds into the extra session
gave Los Angeles the lead for good. The game stayed close and
Wendy Palmer's two free throws pulled Connecticut within 76-74
with 53 seconds to go.
Taj McWilliams-Franklin rebounded a miss by Leslie with 13
seconds remaining and fired up court to a streaking Nykesha Sales. Sales dribbled to her right and fired a pass out to
rookie Jen Derevjanik, who drove to the basket and missed a
contested layup as time expired.
Leslie notched her fifth double-double with 15 points and
14 rebounds and Nikki Teasley added 17 points and nine
assists. Teasley committed nine of the team's 26 turnovers
as the Sparks were sloppy throughout.
Sales scored 19 points and McWilliams-Franklin added 14 on
6-of-8 shooting for Connecticut, which concluded a 1-3 road
trip.

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