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Aug 5, 2009 - 6:52 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Seattle (12-8) at Los Angeles (6-11), 10:30 p.m. EDT

The return of Candace Parker didn't quickly turn around the Los Angeles Sparks' disappointing season. A healthy Lisa Leslie hasn't immediately changed the team's fortunes, either.

The Sparks hope their once-dominant frontcourt duo begins to click again Thursday when the Seattle Storm visit Staples Center after getting blown out there earlier this season.

The Sparks (6-11) are 3-6 since Parker returned from maternity leave, although the reigning MVP has been slowly rounding into form, averaging 11.0 points and 10.4 rebounds in her last five games.

Now, the team hopes Leslie will do the same after dealing with a sprained right knee and bruised right hip. Leslie hadn't played since June 19 before Tuesday, when she and Parker appeared on the court together for the first time all year in a 63-59 home loss to San Antonio.

Leslie, the three-time WNBA MVP playing her final season, scored 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting as Los Angeles opened a stretch of five straight home games.

The fifth-place Sparks hope to take advantage of that scheduling as they attempt to get back into the Western Conference playoff race.

"I feel like we're really close to getting over that hump," Leslie said. "I'm anxious for us to just put it all together. I know we have the best rebounders in the world. We just have to commit to going to the boards every time."

The Storm (12-8) are in much better position in the West, although they squandered a chance to move closer to conference-leading Phoenix on Tuesday, losing to the Mercury 101-90 in overtime.

It was the third time in four games that Seattle played past regulation, including a 98-87, three-OT win over the Sparks on July 22.

"We just need to keep with the plan and keep working," Storm coach Brian Agler said. "Our goal is to try to make the playoffs. And then get home-court advantage. We're in second place right now so we have to keep working. Maybe we'll catch a break here or there."

Not much went Seattle's way June 28 in Los Angeles, when the team suffered its most lopsided loss of the season even though the Sparks were without Leslie and Parker.

No Seattle players scored in double figures in the 82-55 defeat, with Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson combining to shoot 6 of 21 (28.6 percent) from the field.

The Storm also lost three times at Staples Center last year, including Game 1 of the conference semifinal series they eventually lost 2-1.