Sparks beat Storm 70-63 in WNBA playoff opener

By BETH HARRIS AP Sports Writer

Summary

Tina Thompson hit a key 3-pointer with 5:44 remaining and the Los Angeles Sparks went on to a 70-63 victory over the Seattle Storm in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff series Wednesday night.

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Story Published: Sep 16, 2009 at 8:27 PM PST

Story Updated: Sep 16, 2009 at 8:27 PM PST

Sparks beat Storm 70-63 in WNBA playoff opener

Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie, right, knocks the ball from the hands of Seattle Storm forward Camille Little during Game 1 of a WNBA basketball first-round playoff series Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Tina Thompson hit a key 3-pointer with 5:44 remaining and the Los Angeles Sparks went on to a 70-63 victory over the Seattle Storm in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff series Wednesday night.

Thompson led the third-seeded Sparks with 16 points. Lisa Leslie added 14 points and 10 rebounds in what might have been the final home game of her storied career before she retires at season's end. Candace Parker had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Swin Cash led the second-seeded Storm with 24 points after missing the final two games of the regular season because of her grandmother's death. Suzy Batkovic-Brown added 16 points and Tanisha Wright 13.