Lynx-Sparks Preview
The Minnesota Lynx are playing extremely well - and soon could get even better. With one of their top players nearing her 2020 debut, the Lynx, in the meantime, eye a fifth straight victory on Sunday against the Los Angeles Sparks at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. Minnesota (5-1) has enjoyed plenty of early success inside the "Wubble," thanks to its traditionally tough defense that's why they allow a league-low 75.8 points per contest. On three occasions, Lynx opponents have failed to score at least 70 points. Though Friday was not one of those nights, Minnesota extended its winning streak after an 87-80 win over Indiana. Lexie Brown (13.3 points per game) scored a career-high 26 points and dished out nine assists as the Lynx used a 17-3 run in the second quarter to take control of the game. "I'm really happy for (Lexie)," teammate Napheesa Collier, who had 16 points, told the Star Tribune. "That's exactly what we need...She's playing her top game right now." While Brown has stepped up to join the likes of Collier (14.0 ppg) and fellow star Sylvia Fowles (16.8 ppg, 11.0 rebounds per game), who scored 21 on Friday, the return of guard Odyssey Sims should provide an even bigger boast to one of the WNBA's hottest teams. Sims, the Lynx 2019 leader averaging 14.5 points and 5.4 assists, gave birth in April and has been quarantined in the "Wubble." Though she was activated Thursday, Sims won't be eligible to play until Aug. 13, while serving a two-game suspension from her 2019 DWI charge. She could at least be on hand to watch Minnesota keep its run going while facing the Sparks (3-3), who have been alternating wins and losses this season. Los Angeles will look to bounce back from an 86-82 loss to Las Vegas from Friday. Candace Parker (14.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg) had 20 points with 12 rebounds while Sydney Wiese scored 18 and Chelsea Gray added 16 as the Sparks struggled to a 41.7-percent shooting night. They were also outrebounded 42-33 while playing without fellow star Nneka Ogwumike (13.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg), whose status remains uncertain due to a hamstring issue. Los Angeles' inability to consistently string wins together has been frustrating during the early portion of this uniquely condensed WNBA campaign. Yet, not enough to fully consume the club's confidence - at least not from coach Derek Fisher's standpoint. "We still have high expectations," Fisher told the Sparks' official website. "We still know that we are going to be where we need to be at the right time, but there are no short cuts to becoming great. "It's going to take time, going to take adversity, and it is going to take us asking ourselves the hard questions and finding the answers and solutions to get us where we are trying to get to." Los Angeles has won the last four meetings with Minnesota. |