For Minnesota Lynx, a good start is essential

--Sunday afternoon the Lynx will host the Los Angeles Sparks in Game 1 of the best-of-five WNBA finals at Williams Arena.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve wants to see a better result than last year in Game 1.

The Sparks took the first game of the finals last season, beating the Lynx at Target Center. The Lynx were able to get one of two games in L.A., forcing a Game 5 back in Minnesota, where the Sparks won again.

In six previous finals appearances, the Lynx have been the top seed each time. But they have dropped the first game three times.

They lost to Indiana in Game 1 in 2012, ultimately losing to the Fever in four games. In 2015 Indiana came to Target Center and took Game 1. The Lynx won the second game, then won Game 3 in Indiana on Maya Moore's buzzer-beating three-pointer. Ultimately, Minnesota won their third title in Game 5 at Target Center.

But, in this rematch series between two teams so close In talent, Reeve has given a lot of thought to how she can get her team ready for Game 1, a must-win in her mind.

"I'm more mindful of that now, in that, obviously, I've done something wrong in terms of preparation and mindset,'' Reeve said after Lynx practice Saturday. "So I analyze that a little bit, replay it in my mind. What was the narrative going into this thing? Was it too much on a bigger picture as opposed to Game 1? I re-centered myself on that, focusing not on the outcome of Game 1, but the process [of preparing]. That's what makes us really good. I wanted to return to our roots when it came to that.''

Guard Lindsay Whalen pointed out the Lynx's strong opening game against Washington in the league semifinals as an encouraging sign.

"We took a good step against Washington,'' she said. "We came out with a lot of aggression and energy. We have to do that tomorrow, make sure we're ready to go from the beginning.''

--Talk about staying power. When the series starts Sunday there will be four players – and three starters – between the two teams that entered the league together. The 2004 WNBA draft, one of the best in league history, included seven players who would play in one or more All Star Games and a number of players with WNBA title rings. Diana Taurasi went first overall in 2004, followed by current Sparks starter Alana Beard, Nicole Powell, and Whalen. Rebekkah Brunson went 10^th in the draft. Lynx backup guard Jia Perkins was also drafted that year.

Whalen is the all-time winningest player in league history, and Brunson is fourth.

"We're still going,'' Whalen said. "I think that '04 class, it's got to be one of the best ever, if not the best.

--Jantel Lavender, the L.A. Sparks' top post player off the bench, will probably not need much time to acclimate to Williams Arena. She played here while starring for Ohio State, appearing at Williams four times, with OSU winning three of them.

"A lot of people will have to get used to this raised floor, but I played on it a lot,'' she said.