Alyssa Thomas recorded her sixth triple-double of the season and DeWanna Bonner added 25 points and seven rebounds to lead the Connecticut Sun to a 90-76 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday night at Uncasville, Conn.
Thomas was 11-of-14 shooting and had 27 points, 14 assists, 12 rebounds and six steals in her latest standout performance. Tiffany Hayes added 13 points as the third-place Sun (26-12) won for the fifth time in the past seven games.
Azura Stevens had 18 points and 11 rebounds and Dearica Hamby added 18 points and seven boards for the Sparks, who were without star Nneka Ogwumike (knee) for the second straight game. Karlie Samuelson (abdomen) was also ruled out on Tuesday.
Los Angeles (16-22) has the same record as the Chicago Sky as the two teams battle for the eighth and final playoff spot. The Sky routed the Indiana Fever 96-69 on Tuesday and hold the tiebreaker over the Sparks.
Rae Burrell and Layshia Clarendon added 13 points apiece for Los Angeles. Jordin Canada scored 10 for the Sparks, who shot 41.7 percent from the field and made 8 of 19 treys.
Thomas collected a defensive rebound with 6:49 remaining in the game to secure her latest triple-double.
Thomas also set a WNBA record for total assists (304) in a season. Courtney Vandersloot (300 in 2019) held the previous record.
Connecticut shot 50.7 percent from the field and was 8 of 21 from 3-point range. Tyasha Harris added 10 points.
Los Angeles cut a 16-point second-quarter deficit to six in the final stanza before the Sun rattled off seven straight points. Thomas hit a 10-footer, Hayes buried a 3-pointer and Bonner made a layup to give Connecticut a 79-66 advantage with 6:36 left.
Baskets by Hamby and Stevens later brought the Sparks within 83-76 with 2:41 remaining before the Sun scored the game’s final seven points.
Bonner scored 15 points and Thomas had 10 points, 10 assists and six rebounds in the first half as the Sun led 49-36 at the break.
Stevens had 13 points in the half for the Sparks.
Burrell scored 10 points in the third quarter as Los Angeles trailed 70-62.
–Field Level Media