LA wins thriller on late jumper
Parker named Finals MVP in earning first title
MINNEAPOLIS — Candace Parker and the Sparks jumped with joy on the court, joined in celebration by a guy named Magic Johnson who once made basketball championships a habit in Los Angeles.
Parker’s old college coach, the late Pat Summitt, was there in spirit, too.
Nneka Ogwumike’s short jumper with 3.1 seconds left, off the rebound of her blocked shot, gave the Sparks a 77-76 victory over the defending champion Minnesota Lynx in the deciding Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Thursday night for the franchise’s first title in 14 years.
Parker had 28 points and 12 rebounds to earn MVP honors of the Finals and her first WNBA title, capping a trying year marked by the death of the beloved Summitt, with whom she won two NCAA championships at Tennessee.
“The journey to get here I wouldn’t have wanted to do it with anybody else,” Parker said. “It’s amazing when you surround yourself with good people how fun it is.”
Sparks coach Brian Agler started his postgame news conference by playing a recording of the Tennessee fight song, “Rocky Top,” from a phone in front of him at the podium. Parker cried as she leaned over to hug her coach.
“I’ve never been around somebody that has been critiqued so hard,” Agler said, “and I’ve never been around anyone I’m happy for than Candace.”
Parker heard Summitt’s voice in her head, recalling the time-worn advice to focus on defense and rebounding.
“You can’t control if shots go in or shots don’t, but what you can control is defense and rebounding,” Parker said.
Rebekkah Brunson made one of two free throws with 23.4 seconds left to give the Lynx a 74-73 lead. Parker answered with a layup on the other end that Maya Moore countered with a jumper. Then Ogwumike hustled her way over to the loose ball after Sylvia Folwes blocked her first attempt. She coolly swished it.
Moore had 23 points and 11 assists for the Lynx, who fell short of matching the WNBA record of four championships. The Lynx played in the finals for the fifth time in the last six years. They won three.
“The team that won this game deserved to win the game,” Moore said, “so it’s just hard to have it come that close.”