Lynx Wilt In Third Quarter
August 12, 2014

For the second game in a row, the defending WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx displayed a disturbing inability to finish off opponents as the team attempts to ready itself for the league playoffs.

Leading 51-49 at the three-quarter mark, the Lynx folded in the fourth quarter, tallying only a dozen points to the Los Angeles Sparks’ 22. The result was a 71-63 loss. A similar fourth-quarter collapse led to a loss to league-leading Phoenix in the previous Lynx game.

“This is a disappointing trend for us,” fumed head coach Cheryl Reeve after the game. “With five minutes to go tonight we just didn’t make plays. Maya (Moore) was the only one producing offense for us.” Moore finished with 20 points, breaking the team’s all-time single season scoring record with 773, topping Seimone Augustus’ 769. Moore, however was the only Lynx to reach double figures.

Guard Kristi Toliver of the Sparks led all scorers with 29 points, including five three-point baskets. Toliver had 10 points in the fourth quarter. “We let a player go off for 29 points,” muttered Reeve, “and not be pressed. We didn’t do a good job guarding Toliver.”

Ahead by as many as 11 points in the first half, Minnesota wilted in the stretch run. Nailing the team’s coffin was a three-pointer by Toliver with 57.9 seconds left to go in the game. She went 11 for 18 from the field, most of the shots uncontested, and had only a pair of free throws. Candace Parker chipped in with 16 points for Los Angeles.

Minnesota led at halftime 36-29. The lead changed hands 11 times during the course of the contest.