Costly turnovers by the Sparks are too much to overcome in their 67-71 loss to Minnesota
Los Angeles Sparks #30 Nneka Ogwumike (F) on the baseline against the Minnesota Lynx #31 Nikolina Millic (F) at the Crypto.com Arena. Photo by Daynesha Lewis/TGSportstv1.
LOS ANGELES, CA - The Los Angeles Sparks (5-7) committed 17 turnovers and lost again to the Minnesota Lynx (4-8) at the Crypto.com Arena 67-61 for the third time this season, and have lost their last three games.
Napheesa Collier (F) continues to be a thorn in the Sparks' side, scored 26 points, and had fourteen rebounds, and Bridget Carleton with 14 points.
Los Angeles was without Lexie Brown again, one of their best shooters, but Nneka Ogwumike had 20 points and nine rebounds, and Jordin Canada with 10 points.
The Sparks have struggled lately from behind the arc, 8 for 26, and have to get back to being aggressive in attacking the basket, and getting to the free throw line just ten times is not enough to win in the WNBA.
Nneka Ogwumike's left-handed layup gave the Sparks a 2-0 lead in the first quarter. Karlie Samuelson would make a three-point shot giving the Sparks a 9-2 lead.
Minnesota Lynx #25 Tiffany Mitchell (G) driving to the basket for a layup. Photo by Daynesha Lewis/TGSportstv1.
Minnesota trailed 15-12 when Tiffany Mitchell drove to the basket for a layup. The Lynx would take the lead 19-18 to end the first quarter with a three-pointer by Nikolina Milic.
The Sparks took a 23-19 lead in the second quarter with a three-pointer by Samuelson and a layup by Zia Cooke. Mitchell would tie the game 23-23 with two free throws. Collier fall-away jump shot in the paint had the Lynx leading 27-25.
Rae Burrell's three-pointer gave the Sparks a 30-27 lead. Minnesota trailed by one point at halftime, 33-32, with a basket by Nikolina Milic.
The Lynx were 1-10 from behind the three-point line, while the Sparks made 5-15. Nneka Ogwumike led the Sparks in scoring in the first half with 13 points, and Collier led the Lynx in scoring with 12 points.
Los Angeles Sparks #44 Karlie Samuelson (G) three-point shot from the top of the key. Photo by Daynesha Lewis/TGSportstv1.
The Lynx led 40-35 in the third quarter with a three-pointer by Carleton. Nneka Ogwumike would tie the game 40-40 after being fouled on her made layup and free throw. Collier torched the Sparks with another three-pointer to give the Lynx a 43-40 lead.
Karlie Samuelson gave the Sparks a 49-47 lead with her three-point shot. The third quarter ended with the score tied 49-49, with a tip-in basket by Collier.
The Sparks led 52-49 in the fourth quarter with a three-pointer by Jordin Canada. Minnesota would take the lead back 55-54 with a three-point jump shot by Carleton.
Kayla Mc Bride would drive to the basket for a layup giving the Lynx a 57-54 lead, and the Sparks called a timeout.
The Sparks trail by one point, 60-59, with a three-point jump shot by Canada. The Sparks' defense forced a turnover, Burrell got a pass from Samuelson for a layup, and the Sparks now trail 62-61 with 2:47 left in the game.
Los Angeles had plenty of chances to win the game after missing layups and turnovers in the last two minutes after being down one point and not playing smart basketball allowed Minnesota to secure their 67-61 victory.