Lynx-Los Angeles game preview

September 22, 2015 at 4:40AM
Lynx forward Maya Moore beat the Sparks' Nneka Ogwumike to the basket to score during the first quarter Friday.
Lynx forward Maya Moore beat the Sparks' Nneka Ogwumike to the basket to score during the first quarter Friday. (Star Tribune file/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

8 p.m. vs. Los Angeles • Target Center • TV: ESPN (106.1 FM)

Lynx update: How many times has Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said a version of this? A stagnant offense results in defensive problems, which turn into opponent runs. That happened in the second quarter of Sunday's loss to L.A., when the Sparks used a bunch of Lynx misses and a few turnovers to outscore Minnesota 29-12. It was the most points the Lynx have allowed in a second quarter this year, the second most allowed in any quarter this year. The Lynx have been outscored 50-23 in the second quarter in the two games in this series. F Maya Moore has scored 60 points on 22-for-43 shooting — 8-for-16 on three-pointers— and has averaged 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. But she had five turnovers Sunday. After scoring 17 points on 7-for-15 shooting Friday, G Seimone Augustus had 14 Sunday but shot 5-for-15. C Sylvia Fowles has taken just 12 shots, gotten 16 rebounds and turned the ball over five times in two games. She was a team-worst minus-18 Sunday. G Lindsay Whalen is 4-for-10 for 12 points in two games.

Sparks update: The Sparks cut back on their turnovers and turned up the defensive pressure Sunday, building a lead as big as 22 points in the second quarter before holding on for a 10-point win. It was a win that came in large part from F Candace Parker (25 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals) and G Ana Dabovic. Coming off the bench, she scored a career-high 19 points, hitting on three of four three-pointers and posting an amazing plus-29. She has averaged 10.1 points and has made eight of 15 three-pointers in five games vs. Minnesota this season. One question mark for the Sparks for Tuesday is the health of F Nneka Ogwumike, who left Sunday's game in the third quarter because of a neck strain and did not return.

KENT YOUNGBLOOD

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