Lynx-Los Angeles game preview

Preview: The Lynx (12-0) are coming off a 96-84 victory in Seattle on Sunday. The Sparks, who opened the 2015 season 0-7, improved to 11-0 with a 77-71 victory over Phoenix on Friday. The Lynx won three of the four regular-season meetings between the two in 2015, going 1-1 in Los Angeles. The Sparks, who were 14-20 in the 2015 regular season, met the Lynx in the first round of the playoffs, a series the Lynx won in three games.

Players to watch: Lynx F Natasha Howard came off the bench to score a season-high 16 points against the Storm on Sunday. Howard was 7-for-7 from the field and is shooting 65 percent. F/C Janel McCarville scored a season-high nine points in 18 minutes Sunday. Sparks F/C Candace Parker, who is averaging 16.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, had 24 points and 11 rebounds in the victory over Phoenix. F Nneka Ogwumike, the 2012 WNBA Rookie of the Year, leads the Sparks in scoring (17.6 points per game) and rebounding (8.8 per game). Ogwumike, who leads the league in shooting percentage (69.2) set a WNBA record last week by making 23 consecutive shots over a three-game span.

Numbers: The Sparks were 3-13 without Parker in the lineup last season, while she rested after playing overseas.

Injuries: None.

JOEL RIPPEL