SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Lisa Leslie had 19 points and the Los Angeles Sparks scored the game s final 10 points to beat Utah 85-77 on Friday night for a share of the Western Conference lead.

Los Angeles, which matched Houston at a WNBA-best 23-7, held Utah (19-11) without a field goal over the final 6:16.

Mwadi Mabika had 18 points and nine rebounds to help the Sparks rebound from a 67-64 home loss to Houston on Thursday night.

"It was a very well played game from the get go," Los Angeles coach Michael Cooper said. "Especially after last night's loss it was a game we easily could have turned over and lost this in the first half."

The Sparks were 32-of-63 (50.8 percent) from the field after shooting a franchise-worst 25.7 percent against Houston in the game that decided the playoff tiebreaker. Both Los Angeles and Houston have two games remaining in the regular season.

"It was very important to win tonight," Leslie said. "We came here without the option to lose."

Marlies Askamp added a season-high 12 points for Los Angeles. Marie Ferdinand scored 19 points for Utah and Adrienne Goodson added 15 points and nine rebounds.

"We know we can play with this team, we know we can beat this team," Starzz coach Candi Harvey said. "Hopefully, we'll get a shot at them in the playoffs."

After Ferdinand made a free throw with 3:20 remaining, Mabika hit a jumper and Leslie followed a miss by Tamecka Dixon to give the Sparks an 80-75 lead.

Utah led by 12 points and was 5-of-7 from 3-point range in the first half. The Sparks tightened up their defense in the second half and outscored the Starzz by 12.

"At about midway through the second half we started giving them transition baskets," Harvey said. "You just can't give the Sparks layups. They will kill you."

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