Hot-shooting Lynx demolish Los Angeles for seventh straight win

Sunday night it was Napheesa Collier's turn.

On a team that has gathered momentum like a steam train, the Lynx have had a rotating cast of players lead the team to victory.

Sylvia Fowles. Kayla McBride. Layshia Clarendon.

Sunday: Collier.

Against a physical, sometimes chippy, always aggressive Sparks team, Collier kept her cool and kept coming at the Sparks. She matched her season high with 27 points, made 11 of 17 shots with seven rebounds, two assists and two steals in an 86-61 victory at Los Angeles that sent the Lynx into the Olympic break as the hottest team in the WNBA.

"It feels awesome to finish strong," Collier said. She was talking both about herself and the team. Minnesota (12-7) has won seven in a row and 12 of 15 since an 0-4 start.

"This gives us a lot of confidence, knowing that when we come back, we just have to build on what we've already done." she said.

In a game that featured multiple official reviews and three technicals called, the Lynx both started and finished the game strong, making 12 of 15 shots while taking a 29-13 first-quarter lead and then outscoring the Sparks (6-13) 22-12 in the final 10 minutes.

And while the Lynx again showed balance — Clarendon had 14, Fowles and Bridget Carleton 10, McBride nine and Damiris Dantas eight — this game was Collier's, start to finish.

With the Lynx playing without backup point guard Crystal Dangerfield (shoulder), and playing against a team that likes to pester the perimeter, the plan going in was to get the ball in Collier's hands to take pressure off the Lynx guards. That meant putting Collier in a position to make decisions.

And she was nearly flawless.

Collier made four of five shots — the Lynx were 12-for-15 — and scored nine points as the Lynx jumped to a 29-13 lead after a quarter.

Minnesota remained in control until a 12-0 run from the end of the first half to the start of the third quarter brought the Sparks within six points. But with Collier scoring 11 points, the Lynx finished the quarter on a 21-12 run and weren't threatened again.

Minnesota shot nearly 56% overall and made nine of 19 three-pointers. And the Lynx held the Sparks to 36.7% shooting.

"Phee was pretty motivated this game," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. "I think L.A. has a way of sort of. … The way they play, the physicality, the embellishment of certain things, it can get to you. The referees fall for it a lot. Phee responded with her own physicality."

Speaking of embellishment, Collier joked after the game that she must have eaten her protein. "It felt like everyone I touched fell down," she said.

Los Angeles was led by Erica Wheeler and Brittney Sykes, who scored 14 each.

Collier and Fowles will now head to Las Vegas to join the U.S. Olympic team, which will take on a team of other WNBA players in the All-Star Game this week. After that, those two — along with Natalie Achonwa and Carleton, who are playing for Canada — will head to Japan.

In case you were wondering whether the red-hot Lynx would like to just keep playing? Well, no. Reeve shut that one down. The team worked so hard, expended so much energy, while recovering from that 0-4 start, the break is welcomed.

BOXSCORE: Lynx 86, Los Angeles 61

"If you're a good team now, you'll be a good team on the other side of the break," she said.

And, right now, the Lynx are a very good team.

"We're jelling, we're meshing," Clarendon said. "Now what you're seeing is the chemistry finally starting to show through."

The Star Tribune did not travel for this game. This article was written using the broadcast and video interviews before and/or after the event.