Kayla McBride scored 29 points on 9-for-13 shooting and the Minnesota Lynx rallied for an 82-66 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday night in Minneapolis.
Courtney Williams added 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting for Minnesota (12-1), which won its third game in a row. Maria Kliundikova made her first start of the season for the Lynx and finished with 12 points to go along with eight rebounds.
Kelsey Plum scored 15 points to lead Los Angeles (4-10). Dearica Hamby finished with 13 points and six rebounds, and Azura Stevens scored 11.
The Lynx shot 53.6 percent (30 of 56) from the field and 44 percent (11 of 25) from beyond the 3-point line. The Sparks shot 36.9 percent (24 of 65) overall and 22.6 percent (7 of 31) from long distance.
Minnesota played without its top scorer and rebounder, Napheesa Collier, who was held out after leaving the Lynx’s previous game because of a back injury. The 28-year-old Collier is averaging 24.4 points and 8.5 rebounds.
Despite the final score, Los Angeles led 35-34 at halftime.
The Lynx took over from there, however, as they outscored the Sparks 48-31 in the second half. That included a 23-19 edge in the third quarter and a 25-12 edge in the fourth.
Rickea Jackson made 1 of 2 free throws to give the Sparks a 52-50 lead with 2:17 remaining in the third quarter.
Diamond Miller answered with a pair of free throws to tie the score at 52-all with 1:47 remaining in the quarter. Alanna Smith followed with a driving layup for the Lynx with 1:05 to go, and Karlie Samuelson made a free throw to make it 55-52 for Minnesota, which ended the quarter up 57-54.
The momentum stayed in the Lynx’s favor in the fourth quarter.
After Sarah Ashlee Barker made a 3-pointer to put the Sparks on top 59-58 with 7:43 left, the Lynx stormed back. Kliundikova made a basket to start a 10-0 run, which ended with Williams knocking down a pull-up jump shot to put the Lynx ahead 68-59.
McBride buried a 3-pointer to increase Minnesota’s advantage to 77-63 with three minutes left, and the Lynx led comfortably the rest of the way.
–Field Level Media
