LOS ANGELES -- Candace Parker scored 20 points and the Los Angeles Sparks cruised past the Chicago Sky 99-84 on Friday night to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-5 WNBA semifinals.League sixth woman of the year Jantel Lavender added 20 points, league MVP Nneka Ogwumike had 18, Kristi Toliver 17 and Essence Carson 11 in the Sparks return to their home court at Staples Center. They won Game 1 by 20 points in Long Beach on Wednesday.Parker added 12 rebounds and eight assists for the Sparks, who shot 54 percent from the field. She and Ogwumike sat down with 4 1/2 minutes remaining.Toliver hit four of the Sparks 10 3-pointers. The Sky were 3 of 13 from long-range.Reserve Clarissa Dos Santos scored 15 points and Jamierra Faulkner added 14 off the bench for the Sky. Cappie Pondexter had 13.Chicago rallied to close within 10 after trailing by 21 early in the third, led by Courtney Vandersloot and Tamera Young, who finished with 12.The Sparks recovered, going on a 10-1 run that extended their lead to 78-59 going into the fourth. Chelsea Gray had a three-point play and passed to a streaking Lavender, who converted on the fast break before hitting a 20-foot jumper herself.Just as in Game 1, the Sparks rode a big second quarter to a dominating lead. Two nights earlier, they scored 30 points in the period. This time, they outscored the Sky 29-15, including a 12-0 run to open the quarter. The offensive load was distributed among four players: Carson had eight points, Ogwumike added seven, and Parker and Lavender had six each.TIP-INSThe Sparks improved to 5-0 against the Sky, including three regular-season victories. ... Sparks G Alana Beard and Ogwumike were named to the WNBAs All-Defensive first team. ... Brian Agler of the Sparks finished second to Minnesotas Cheryl Reeve in the voting for league coach of the year. ... Sparks co-owner Magic Johnson introduced Olympic track champion Allyson Felix to a standing ovation in the third, drawing a shy smile from the low-key Felix. ... Also on hand was Clippers All-Star Chris Paul, retired Lakers star Derek Fisher and Kiki Vandeweghe, the NBAs vice president of basketball operations.WHAT A SHOTToliver hit a 3-pointer that beat the buzzer to end the first quarter. Sandwiched between two defenders, she tossed up the ball from the left side while falling down, giving the Sparks a 28-27 lead after they had been outscored 11-2.STILL SIDELINEDSky star Elena Delle Donne watched in street clothes again because of a right thumb injury. She shared the league scoring title with New Yorks Tina Charles, averaging 21. 5 points.WHATS NEXTGame 3 is Sunday in Chicago.Vapormax Plus Pas Cher Chine . Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek defeated Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (4) on the indoor hard-court at Belgrade Arena. The victory improved the Czech pairs impressive cup doubles record to 14-1. Vapormax Plus Noir Pas Cher . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat. http://www.outletairmaxpascher.fr/fausse-air-max-plus.html . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. Air Max 270 React France . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Air Max 97 Plus Femme Pas Cher . -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room.CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Cam Newton breaks into a smile, barely able to control his enthusiasm when thinking about the prospect of wide receiver Devin Funchess lining up opposite Kelvin Benjamin this season.Newton, the leagues MVP, may never have to worry about overthrowing another target again given the receiving corps the Panthers have assembled. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Funchess will replace Jerricho Cotchery in the starting lineup, giving Newton another huge target to go along with the 6-5, 250-pound Benjamin and 6-5, 255-pound tight end Greg Olsen in the passing game.Weve got something only God can give us: size, speed and strength, Newton said.Funchess never got to play with Benjamin in 2015. Benjamin tore his ACL in training camp, ending his season before it had a chance to begin. Funchess went on to catch 31 passes for 473 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie in a reserve role, helping the Panthers reach the Super Bowl and finish 17-2.With Benjamin coming back and Funchess stepping up, the Panthers didnt attempt to re-sign Cotchery.Coach Ron Rivera has described Funchess as being light years ahead of last season. He said Funchess is playing faster and with more confidence.Youre seeing what hes going to add to the offense, Rivera said. We saw that at the end of the year last year. Everybody was waiting for him, and then in midseason he kind of came into his own and made some things happen. By the end of the season, he got better and stronger, and thats what hes doing right now, getting stronger, learning the plays. Hes learning how to use that big body like Kelvin does.Funchess said he feels more comfortable with offensive coordinator Mike Shulas system enterring his second season.ddddddddddddIm just smoothing out my routes and learning how to use my hands to get off the ball and get separation, Funchess said.Newton, who is 6-5, 250 himself, expects both big receivers will play a huge role in 2016 as the Panthers try to build off a season in which they led the league in scoring.The wide receiver position has changed to a degree, Newton said. You look around the league and see Odell (Beckham), Antonio Brown, those quick little shifty guys. But having a Benji, having Fun(chess), having guys that are 6-5, 6-6 and are able to move and able to jump as well, and you know the average (defensive back) is probably 5-foot-9, 5-10, that size and girth is an edge for you.Funchess isnt afraid to get physical either.In practice Tuesday he took exception to rookie cornerback Daryl Worleys failed attempt to punch the ball out after Funchess hauled in a pass. When Worleys punch caught Funchess in the throat, the receiver wound up in a scuffle on the ground, unwilling to let go of Worleys facemask until coaches came into break them up.Rivera warned he doesnt want to see that in a game, but its pretty clear he likes the energy and physicality the 2015 second-round pick possesses.With Ted Ginn Jr., Philly Brown, Brenton Bersin, Stephen Hill, Kevin Norwood and Damiere Byrd all competing for roster spots at receiver, the Panthers have some tough decisions ahead further down the depth chart. Rivera doesnt seem to mind.Its a good group, Rivera said.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '
