COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — The Sparks’ path to the postseason likely requires them to win multiple games against some of the WNBA’s best teams in a 19-day stretch.

They came up short in their first try.

Rhyne Howard scored 19 points, Brionna Jones had 16 points and 13 rebounds for her 12th double-double of the season, and the Atlanta Dream beat the Sparks, 86-75, on Wednesday night.

The win moved Atlanta (27-14) into sole possession of second place in the WNBA standings, while the Sparks (19-21) dropped 1½ games behind the idle Indiana Fever (21-20) for the league’s eighth and final playoff berth.

Atlanta, which has won five of its last six games, moved a half-game ahead of Las Vegas (26-14) and Phoenix (26-14) with three regular-season games remaining.

The Sparks play at the Dream again on

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