Parker, Sky look to close out Mercury
CHICAGO » Candace Parker isn’t anticipating another rout that would complete the perfect ending to her homecoming by bringing the city of Chicago and the Sky their first WNBA title.
Parker and the Sky will try to win the best of five series in Chicago on Sunday after Friday’s Game 3 blowout victory over the Phoenix Mercury. Chicago leads 2-1.
Standing in the way of that championship is the league’s all-time leading scorer Diana Taurasi and the Mercury.
Parker, who scored 13 points in Game 3, will be trying to win her second WNBA Championship, but winning in Chicago may be just as significant as winning in Los Angeles with the Sparks in 2016. Parker was a high school star at west suburban Naperville Central High School, winning two state titles in 2003 and 2004 before capturing the national spotlight at Tennessee.
Kahleah Copper helped Parker and the Sky get one step closer to the championship by scoring 20 of her 22 points in the first half that ignited the Sky to an 8650 victory on Friday, which was the most lopsided win in WNBA history.
Soccer
ARANGO SCORES 2 GOALS, LAFC BEATS SAN JOSE » Cristian Arango scored a goal in each half to reach eight on the season and LAFC beat the San Jose Earthquakes 3-1.
LAFC (10-12-7) snapped a four-game losing streak in the series. San Jose (8-12-9) has conceded at least three goals in five of its last six games.
Arango scored in the 28th on a penalty kick and capped it in the 88th on a breakaway. He added his first MLS assist on a back-heel pass to Danny Musovski in the third minute.
Carlos Fiero scored for the Earthquakes off a corner kick in the 61st.
Pro football PANTHERS PLACE MCCAFFREY ON IR » The Carolina Panthers have placed running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least the next three games with a hamstring injury.
McCaffrey already has missed two games, both Carolina losses.
The earliest he will be able to return to game action is Nov. 7 against the New England Patriots. McCaffrey will have missed 18 of 24 games with injuries since becoming the league’s highest-paid running back following the 2019 season. COLTS ACTIVATE HILTON, PUT
BLANKENSHIP ON IR » The Indianapolis Colts activated receiver T.Y. Hilton from injured reserve in time for Sunday’s game against Houston but will not have kicker Rodrigo Blankenship.