Gameday preview: Lynx vs. Los Angeles

The Lynx host the Sparks on Thursday looking for their fourth consecutive win.

September 1, 2021 at 11:27PM
Nneka Ogumike (Michael Conroy, Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

7 p.m. Tuesday, Target Center; BSN

Lynx update: The Lynx could be down three starters for this game. C Sylvia Fowles (left shoulder) and G Layshia Clarendon (lower right leg) missed Tuesday's victory over New York, and starting F Damiris Dantas was lost at the start of the second half with a right foot injury. Fowles is listed as questionable; Clarendon and Dantas are listed as out. Against New York, even with replacement starters Natalie Achonwa and Crystal Dangerfield combining for more fouls (eight) than points (three), the Lynx were able to win their third straight game and for the 11th time in 13 games. F Napheesa Collier is coming off a 21-point, 14-rebound, two-steal game. G Kayla McBride scored a game-high 25 points with nine rebounds. The Lynx bench outscored New York's 25-6, with Aerial Powers, scoring 10, Rachel Banham eight and Bridget Carleton five. After a stretch of losing nine of 10 games to L.A., the Lynx have won three straight, including two wins this season against an L.A. team that was without both Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike. The Lynx won Tuesday despite shooting a season-low 34.8%. But they held New York to 32.4%.

Sparks update: With F Nneka Ogumwike back from a knee injury coming out of the Olympic break, the Sparks won four straight games, two vs. Atlanta, one each against Indiana and New York. Since then? Four straight losses, including a two-point loss at Indiana on Tuesday against the Fever, which is tied with Atlanta at the bottom of the WNBA standings. The Sparks were outscored 10-0 in the final three minutes of the game. Nneka Ogwumike has averaged 12.6 points and 4.8 rebounds in the eight games since her return but has just four rebounds in her past three games. G Erica Wheeler (13.4) and C Amanda Zahui B (10.0) are the only other L.A. players scoring in double figures. F Chiney Ogwumike (knee) and G Kristi Toliver (hand) are questionable.

about the writer

about the writer

Kent Youngblood

Reporter

Kent Youngblood has covered sports for the Minnesota Star Tribune for more than 20 years.

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