Sparks riding five-game winning streak as 2nd half of season underway

NEW YORK (AP) — No team has been playing better since the All-Star break then the Los Angeles Sparks and they've been doing it with a stellar offense. The team has won five straight games, including three on the road, heading into Tuesday night's matchup with the Las Vegas Aces. It's only the third time in the past five years that the team has won five or more games in a row. The Sparks had a nine-game winning streak in 2020 and a six-game one in 2023. Los Angeles has scored 90 or more points in all five games for the first time in franchise history and has put up consecutive 100-point efforts — again a first for the team. "We've been playing better in the last month, part of that is getting bodies back," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. "We're playing with more pace, so they're figuring it out. We don't play a traditional style, there's a lot of freedom." The Sparks have been getting strong contributions from all five of their starters. Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby are averaging 20.8 points each. Rickea Jackson and Azura Stevens are right behind at 18.2 points and 17.0, respectively. Jackson torched the Liberty on Saturday for 20 points in the first-half and hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer. Los Angeles will also welcome back Cameron Brink on Tuesday. She's been sidelined for 13 months with an ACL injury. Power poll rankings Minnesota remained the No. 1 team in the poll with Atlanta jumping up to the second spot. New York was third and Phoenix fell to fourth. Seattle was fifth and Indiana sixth, with Las Vegas next. The Sparks moved up two spots to eighth. Washington and Golden State followed Los Angeles. Dallas, Chicago and Connecticut rounded out the poll. Clark health update Caitlin Clark is still sidelined with a right groin injury and there's no timetable yet on her return. Indiana's star guard had a second opinion on the injury when the Fever visited New York last week. The team announced there were no signs of additional damage and that maintaining her long-term health was the focus in her recovery. Player of the week Kelsey Mitchell of Indiana was the AP player of the week after averaging 28.3 points, four assists and 1.7 steals to help the Fever go 2-1 last week. Other players receiving votes included Napheesa Collier of Minnesota, Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby of Los Angeles and Alyssa Thomas of Phoenix. Game of the week New York at Minnesota, Wednesday. It's the first meeting of the season between the participants of the WNBA Finals last year. The Liberty won that series in a decisive Game 5 in overtime. ___ AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball