Los Angeles Sparks at Minnesota Lynx
· Women's National Basketball AssociationMinnesota pulls away from Sparks for a 72-64 victory
The Sparks were without four-time WNBA All-Star Alana Beard, who played just 8 minutes before leaving the game with a pulled quadriceps. Beard was sidelined two games into the season by plantar fasciitis and returned after the All-Star Game along with two-time MVP Candace Parker.
Nneka Ogwumike led the Sparks with 18 points.
Renee Montgomery's driving layup capped a run of 13 straight points in the first quarter to give Minnesota a 20-6 lead and the Lynx held a 37-32 lead at halftime.
Los Angeles (7-15) battled back and Kristi Toliver's fourth 3-pointer of the game pulled the Sparks within one with 4:58 left, but Minnesota (16-6) answered with six straight points to push its lead to 65-58.
The Western Conference-leading Lynx lost back-to-back games at Los Angeles and Phoenix before coming home for the rematch with the Sparks. Minnesota is 9-2 at home and holds a two-game lead over second-place Phoenix in the conference standings.
Regular Season Series
MIN wins series 3-1
Recent Plays
| 4th 0.0 |  |
End of Game | 64 - 72 |
| 4th 0.0 | |
End of the 4th Quarter | 64 - 72 |
| 4th 0.0 |  |
Candace Parker bad pass | 64 - 72 |
| 4th 4.0 |  |
Renee Montgomery enters the game for Lindsay Whalen | 64 - 72 |
| 4th 4.0 | |
Tricia Liston enters the game for Anna Cruz | 64 - 72 |
Statistics
 LA |
 MIN |
|
|---|---|---|
| 24-62 | FG | 26-66 |
| 39 | Field Goal % | 39 |
| 5-16 | 3PT | 1-10 |
| 31 | Three Point % | 10 |
| 11-12 | FT | 19-22 |
| 92 | Free Throw % | 86 |
| 33 | Rebounds | 36 |
| 9 | Offensive Rebounds | 10 |
| 24 | Defensive Rebounds | 26 |
| 17 | Assists | 15 |
| 6 | Steals | 9 |
| 5 | Blocks | 4 |
| 16 | Turnovers | 9 |
| 0 | Team Turnovers | 0 |
| 16 | Total Turnovers | 9 |
| 1 | Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 1 | Total Technical Fouls | 0 |
| 0 | Flagrant Fouls | 0 |
| 17 | Points Conceded Off Turnovers | 4 |
| 13 | Fast Break Points | 6 |
| 24 | Points in Paint | 46 |
| 21 | Fouls | 14 |
Game Information
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Attendance: 9,021 · Capacity:
2025-26 Western Conference Standings
| TEAM | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Minnesota |
- | 9 | L2 | 0.775 | 31 |
 Golden State |
2 | 11 | W4 | 0.725 | 29 |
 Las Vegas |
4 | 13 | W3 | 0.675 | 27 |
 Dallas |
7 | 16 | W4 | 0.6 | 24 |
 Portland |
15 | 24 | L1 | 0.4 | 16 |
 Los Angeles |
16 | 25 | W2 | 0.375 | 15 |
 Phoenix |
17 | 26 | W1 | 0.35 | 14 |
 Seattle |
23 | 32 | L1 | 0.2 | 8 |
WNBA News
U.S. closes pool play with 105-64 rout of Czechia
The United States routed Czechia 105-64 to close out pool play at the FIBA World Cup and rebound from a tough performance against Italy.
Belgium's Julie Allemand breaks World Cup assist record in win
Julie Allemand broke Spain's Laia Palau's mark of 108 assists in the first half of Belgium's 80-68 win over Australia that clinched a spot in the quarterfinals. She now has 111 in her World Cup career.
Team USA escapes with win over Italy at women's FIBA World Cup
Team USA survived its toughest test in the women's basketball World Cup in two decades with a 55-52 victory over Italy on Sunday in Berlin, pushing its winning streak in World Cup play to 32 games.
Mali shocks Spain at FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup
Mali pulled off the first stunner of the Women's Basketball World Cup by shocking Spain 82-73.
Sparks hiring Sixers executive Andonian as general manager
The Sparks, who will miss the playoffs for the sixth straight season, have hired Ariana Andonian as general manager.