Nneka Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby Post Double-Doubles in Win Against the Fire

Nneka Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby each posted a double-double, and the Los Angeles Sparks clamped down defensively to beat the Portland Fire 89-72 on Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena.

The win, on the team's Pride Night, lifted Los Angeles to 5-6 and snapped a stretch that included a home loss to Dallas two nights earlier. Portland dropped to 6-7. The Sparks shot 42.7 percent from the field but won the game on the other end, limiting the Fire to 36.1 percent shooting and just 3 of 28 from 3-point range, a mark of 10.7 percent.

Sparks vs Fire: how the game unfolded

Portland hung around for a half. The Fire answered an early Los Angeles lead with an 8-0 spurt to go up 33-32 late in the second quarter, and the teams traded the lead through eight ties before the break. The Sparks led by as many as seven in the half, and Portland never led by more than two.

The separation came after halftime. Los Angeles opened the third quarter with a 14-4 run that produced a 57-43 lead on a Hamby layup, then pushed the margin into double digits and never let go. The Sparks outrebounded Portland 22-15 in the second half, held a 13-4 edge in second-chance points and forced turnovers into the open floor, finishing with 11 steals and 23 points off 17 Portland giveaways.

Megan Gustafson led the Fire with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Sarah Ashlee Barker added seven assists.

"Offense is offense, but defense is really where it's at," Ogwumike said. "Today, I think we did a really good job of not leaving any gas in the tank on the defensive end."

Nneka Ogwumike passes Lisa Leslie, grabs 17 rebounds

Ogwumike finished with 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting and a season-high 17 rebounds, her 120th career double-double and fifth of the season, which ranks fourth in the WNBA. It was the seventh game of her career with at least 20 points and 15 rebounds, and the 10th time she has recorded double-doubles in three or more straight games. A fourth-quarter layup also moved her past Lisa Leslie for the most two-point field goals made in franchise history.

Coach Lynne Roberts pointed to Ogwumike's mix of self-assurance and humility as a model for the group. "Nneka is incredibly confident in what she can do, her role and her impact in all ways," Roberts said.

Dearica Hamby leads scorers with 22

Hamby led all scorers with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds, six of them on the offensive glass to match her career high, for her 56th career double-double. She also recorded the 400th steal of her career and scored a game-high nine points in the fourth quarter, capping the night with a layup in the final second.

Kelsey Plum added 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds, while Rae Burrell scored 10 off the bench. Erica Wheeler posted a plus-32 rating, the fourth-best single-game mark in the league this season.

Sparks defense holds Fire to 10.7 percent from three

The defensive numbers carried the night. Portland missed 25 of its 28 attempts from behind the arc, and the Sparks held the Fire to 10 percent from deep in the second half alone. Los Angeles also out-stole Portland 10-4 over the final two quarters.

"When we focus on the discipline to do the little things for each other, that's how you build trust out there as a unit," Roberts said. "Then that just kind of has a snowball effect."

Hamby singled out rookie guard Chance Gray, who has worked into the rotation. "She's super-mature for being a rookie," Hamby said. "She's confident in her shot. She's confident in her defense."

What's next for the Sparks

Los Angeles now heads back out on the road to face the Seattle Storm on Tuesday at 7 p.m. PT.