Another Target Center Defeat
July 28, 2009

The Los Angeles Sparks ended a three-game losing streak Tuesday night at the expense of the erratic Minnesota Lynx at Target Center.

In a game certain to not make many highlight reels, Minnesota stumbled around in lethargy for most of the first half, managing to score only 22 points. The Lynx’ second quarter was particularly vexing as the local ladies were able to hit for a total of only eight points.

After a pair of Charde Houston free throws gave Minnesota a 6-0 lead, she and her teammates went stone cold as many of the announced crowd of 7,216 spectators watched the performance in stunned silence. The Sparks reeled off 20 points in a row and led 20-6. Meanwhile, a panicky coach Jen Gillom substituted at random, looking to stop the bleeding. Newly acquired Anna Montanana, fresh off the boat from Valencia, Spain, was thrown into the fray and appeared to be as confused as her counterparts in the home white jerseys.

Things changed in the second half. The Sparks somehow let a 13-point halftime lead evaporate and found themselves trailing by three in the fourth quarter. It was then that Los Angeles’ Tina Thompson got serious. Thompson scored 10 points in Los Angeles’ late 14-6 run to pull away. After going 5-for-15 from the field through the third quarter, the Sparks center finished with 11 field goals, including four three-point baskets for 30 points. Any hope Minnesota had of victory vanished after Thompson got hot.

Helping out was Candace Parker. Last season’s most valuable player and rookie of the year, Parker, playing in her sixth game following maternity leave, earned her second straight double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Los Angeles win was only the team’s second road victory in 10 outings this year.

Roneeka Hodges led the anemic Minnesota attack with 14 points. Minnesota has lost four of five at Target Center. Tasha Humphrey added 11, and Houston scored 10.

Lynx starter Candice Wiggins, usually a difference-maker, played less than three minutes in the third quarter and sat out the fourth because of “fluid buildup” in her right knee, according to team officials. She was observed limping around the bench area with an elastic wrap on knee. Gillom said Wiggins, whose four points marked a season low, would “rest” the next few days. Given the perplexing nature of knee injuries to women athletes, one can only hope that Wiggins can return to duty soon.

“There were times we had shining moments,” Gillom said, half seriously. “There were the times we had good-looking shots and the ball would just rim out. It’s just unfortunate.” For the game, the Lynx shot 31 percent from the field. Los Angeles was not that much better, hitting on only 33 percent of their shots.

The Lynx more than doubled their first-half total in the third quarter and took a 60-57 lead on Rashanda McCants’ layup with 5:44 to play in the fourth. But Thompson’s basket and free throw with 4:04 put the Sparks up for good. After Anosike had her shot blocked by Parker, Thompson hit an eight-foot turnaround jump shot for a 64-61 lead. Parker followed with a five-foot running jump shot that banked in for a 66-61 margin. The Lynx offense caved, and the outcome was no longer in doubt.

The much-heralded Montanana, who signed with the Lynx on Sunday, finished with two points, two rebounds, and two fouls in 15 minutes of play.