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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
New York Liberty forward Tina Charles drives towards the basket on Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike during the first quarter of a WNBA regular-season at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
New York Liberty forward Tina Charles loses the handle of the basketball in front of Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike during the first quarter of a WNBA regular-season at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
New York Liberty guard Shavonte Zellous holds the ball out while on the perimeter during the first half of a WNBA game against the Los Angeles Sparks at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
New York Liberty forward Tina Charles (31) attempts a jump hook in front the defense of Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike (30, purple) during the first quarter of a WNBA regular-season at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
New York Liberty guard Epiphanny Prince dribbles on the perimeter and is guarded by Los Angeles Sparks guard Alana Beard (0) and forward Nneka Ogwumike (30) during the first half of a WNBA regular-season game at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
New York Liberty forward Tina Charles (31) catches the ball in the post in front of Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker during the first quarter of a WNBA regular-season at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker (l.) and New York Liberty forward Tina Charles battle for position in the lane during the first half of a WNBA regular-season at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
New York Liberty forward Kia Vaughn (with ball) tries to maneuver in the lane against the defense of Los Angeles Sparks forwards Nneka Ogwumike (far left) and Jantel Lavender during the first half of a WNBA regular-season at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike lies on the court after being knocked down during the first quarter of a WNBA regular-season against the New York Liberty at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
New York Liberty guard Shavonte Zellous (1) drives towards the basket during the first half of a WNBA regular-season against the Los Angeles Sparks at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
New York Liberty guard Epiphanny Prince attempts a jumper during the first half of a WNBA game against the Los Angeles Sparks at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
New York Liberty guard Bria Hartley calls out a play in front of Los Angeles Sparks guard Riquna Williams during the first half of a WNBA regular-season at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
New York Liberty guard Shavonte Zellous attempts a jumper in the first half of a WNBA game against the Los Angeles Sparks at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
Los Angeles Sparks guard Riquna Williams dribbles towards the basket during the second half of a WNBA regular-season game against the New York Liberty at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
Los Angeles Sparks guard Chelsea Gray (12) tries to maintain possession of the ball while surrounded by New York Liberty players Sugar Rodgers (far left), Kiah Stokes and Shavonte Zellous during the second half of a WNBA regular-season game at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike (30) stands in between New York Liberty players Shavonte Zellous (far left) and forward Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe during the second half of a WNBA regular-season game at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike (30) attempts a layup over New York Liberty center Kia Vaughn during the second half of a WNBA regular-season game at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
Los Angeles Sparks guard Alana Beard (0) heads towards the basket as New York Liberty guard Bria Hartley chases in pursuit of her during the second half of a WNBA regular-season game at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker attempts a layup over New York Liberty center Kiah Stokes during the second half of a WNBA regular-season game at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole) -
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WNBA: Sparks at Liberty (05.30.17)
Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker calls out instructions on the court during the second half of a WNBA regular-season game against the New York Liberty at Madison Square Garden on May 30, 2017. (Photo by Robert Cole)
NEW YORK — The dynamic frontcourt duo of Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike made sure the Los Angeles Sparks got something positive from their first road trip of the 2017 season.
Los Angeles defeated the New York Liberty 90-75 in the latest matchup between two of the founding franchises of the WNBA, with Parker and Ogwumike combining for 32 second-half points as the Sparks completed their three-game road with a 1-2 record. Parker, who only scored six points and did not attempt a free throw in Saturday’s road loss to the Atlanta Dream, was back to her All-Star self, scoring 12 of her 20 points in the second half after the Liberty went into the locker room with a 38-36 lead. Parker also had 11 rebounds, four assists, and finished 7-of-8 from the charity stripe.
Ogwumike played the role of closer, scoring nine of her 22 points in the fourth quarter. After taking a 66-64 lead into the fourth quarter, the Sparks started the fourth on an 11-0 run to build a 13-point lead. Los Angeles maintained a double-digit lead for almost the entirety of the fourth quarter after that run to start it.
Liberty forward Tina Charles did everything she could for New York to keep up with the defending WNBA champions, scoring the team’s first 11 points of the game on her way to 19 first-half points (14 in the first quarter). Foul trouble largely kept Charles from having an even bigger impact later in the contest, as she ended with 25 points. Charles, who was one of the leading candidates for the last season’s MVP award that was won by Ogwumike, may have to shoulder even more of the load for the Liberty over the next month, as guard Epiphanny Prince and center Kia Vaughn played their last game with the Liberty before heading to Europe to participate for the countries they represent in international play at the 2017 European Women Basketball Championship, a tournament which starts in two weeks in the Czech Republic. Prince ended tonight with 21 points and hit three three-pointers.
As always, our photographer, Robert Cole, was on the court snapping quality pictures, this time from the World’s Most Famous Arena. There are 20 photos in this gallery, and, after clicking on the first photo to enlarge the picture, make sure to press the left and right arrow buttons to scroll through the rest of the pictures.