What happened: Chicago leads Los Angeles 49-36 at halftime. Sydney Taylor has matched Nneka Ogwumike's team-high 12 points, and Jacy Sheldon has added 9 for the Sky. Ogwumike also has 7 rebounds and 2 assists for the Sparks.
Why it matters: Los Angeles enters on a two-game skid despite beating the Sky 102-87 in the teams' last meeting on July 10. The Sky, at 8-16 on the season, have won their most recent game. Ogwumike, who passed Lisa Leslie for the Sparks' all-time scoring lead this week, remains central to Los Angeles' offense.
By the numbers: Sydney Taylor: 12 PTS, 1 AST. Nneka Ogwumike: 12 PTS, 7 REB, 2 AST. Jacy Sheldon: 9 PTS, 1 REB.
What to watch: The second half determines whether Chicago holds its 13-point cushion or Los Angeles erases the deficit.