SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Sparks finally have their postseason fate in their own hands.

By winning their final two regular-season contests, the Sparks can reach the playoffs for the seventh straight year. Step one would be winning Friday's meeting against the San Antonio Silver Stars.

Los Angeles was three games below .500 on August 10 before winning won four of its last five games. The Sparks got some help Thursday when Phoenix lost to Houston and slipped to fifth place in the Western Conference.

Los Angeles closes the campaign Saturday against the Comets, while the Mercury meet the Storm in Seattle.

Chamique Holdsclaw scored 20 points and Tamika Whitmore added 17 on Tuesday to lead the Sparks to their third straight victory, a 74-63 triumph over the Minnesota Lynx.

San Antonio wraps up a dismal season by trying to snap an eight-game losing streak and record its first victory over Los Angeles in eight tries.

Katie Feenstra scored 14 points for the Silver Stars in Tuesday's 78-51 defeat against Seattle. San Antonio shot just 28 percent (17-of-61) from the floor and was outrebounded, 43-27.

The Silver Stars rank 12th in the league in scoring (62.9 ppg) and defense (70.6 ppg).