NEW YORK >> Sabrina Ionescu scored 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting, Natasha Howard had 24 points and 11 rebounds and the New York Liberty beat the Sparks 102-73 on Tuesday night in the first game of a back-to-back series.

The Liberty (12-18) and Los Angeles (12-18), who play again today, are tied with the Atlanta Dream for the eighth and final playoff spot with less than two weeks remaining in the regular season, a half-game behind the Phoenix Mercury (13-18) and a half-game ahead of the 11th-place Minnesota Lynx (12-19).

Marine Johannes hit a 3-pointer to give the Liberty the lead for good at 21-20,

Ionescu hit 5 of 9 from 3-point range and 11 of 16 from the field and Howard was 9-of-11 shooting for New York, which shot 57.8% and scored at least 100 points for the third time this season.

Brittney Sykes led the Sparks with 19 points, Nneka Ogwumike scored 15 and Olivia Nelson-Ododa added a career-high 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting.