Sparks top Lynx, move within a win of ‘back-to-back’ titles
LA take 2-1 lead in best-of-five game series
LOS ANGELES, Sept 30, (AP): Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike came up big to move the Los Angeles Sparks within one win of repeating as WNBA champions.
Parker had 13 points and five steals while Ogwumike had 16 points and 10 rebounds to help the Sparks beat the Lynx 75-64 in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Friday night.
“Good players have to make big plays,” Sparks coach Brian Agler said. “Tonight was our night.”
The Sparks had double figures from four of their five starters as Odyssey Sims scored 16 points and Chelsea Gray added 14. Even the bench produced with 11 points. Minnesota 17-7 after the Lynx got within 58-57.
“We were able to get stops on the defensive end. They are a great team,” Parker said. “They hit some big shots down the stretch. We just wanted to make things tough for the big-time players. We didn’t let them get a lot of second-chance opportunities.”
The first two games came down to the final seconds and this was another close game but the Sparks never trailed.
For the second straight game, Parker was held scoreless in the first quarter again and had just five points by halftime but produced in so many ways.
The Sparks built an 11-point lead in the first quarter and but led just 32-26 by halftime.
Ogwumike was whistled for her third foul with 8:18 left in the third quarter but played through it in 29 minutes.
The Sparks left the court before the National Anthem in silent protest.