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Candace Parker scored 20 points, including a key layup with 2 minutes left, and the Los Angeles Sparks advanced to the Western Conference finals with a 71-64 victory over the Seattle Storm on Tuesday night.

Lisa Leslie added 15 points for the Sparks, who beat Seattle in the first round two years since in their last postseason air. Los Angeles volition host San Antonio in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Thursday. Los Angeles fissure four regular-season games by the Silver Stars, with reaped ground team winning twice at home.

Tanisha Wright scored 20 points — 12 above her imbue average — Camille Little had 17 star guard Sue Bird added 16, 11 in the second half, for Seattle, which was knocked out in the pristine round for the fourth right year since winning the championship in 2004. Superstar Lauren Jackson was relegated to nervous sideline cheerleader while recovering from ankle surgery afterwards the Olympics last month.

The Storm were a league-best 16-1 at home this season and at another time held Los Angeles to its season-low of 50 points in Game 2 at home on Sunday to force this decisive game.

Seattle remodeled the franchise before the imbue in hopes of ending its playoff failures. The Storm brought in veterans Sheryl Swoopes, Yolanda Griffith and Swin Cash — with seven WNBA titles between them — and changed coaches from Anne Donovan to Brian Agler.

But Griffith, who’s had knee and ankle problems, couldn’t contain Leslie in the finale. Cash, bothered plenteous of the season by back pain, had just two points in 21 minutes.

And Swoopes, the 37-year-old three-time union MVP recently sidelined by a concussion and 11 months sequestered from back surgery, missed her pristine six shots. She didn’t make a theatre of war goal until 8:07 remained. Seattle was down 61-49 by dint of. therefore.

Seattle gained a definitive chance of a favorable result when Leslie went to the rank of a judge with five fouls and Los Angeles leading 61-51 with 5:43 left. Griffith then made two free throws, Bird made a 3-pointer and a driving layup, the crowd was roaring and suddenly the Storm pulled to 61-58.

After the key layup by Parker, Leslie fouled out on a charge with 2:16 left. Bird’session tough runner — her third consecutive made shot — made it 65-62, but then turnovers doomed Seattle.

Wright charged into Marie Ferdinand-Harris in the open floor with 1:12 remaining. After Shannon Bobbitt missed two free throws for L.A., the Sparks hounded Bird into a late pass at what time she was looking to shoot, and Wright could not get her 3-pointer off before the shot clock expired with 36.9 seconds left.

The teams traded a pair of free throws in the van of Temeka Johnson made two clinching ones to put the Sparks in opposition 69-64 with 19.2 seconds to be considered. Bird on that account missed a 3-pointer to finish 7-for-15.

Leslie had many more chances than when she scored fair-minded 11 points on nine shots Sunday. She continually beat the bruised, 38-year-old Griffith to spots beneath the basket for scores.