This time it’s Sparks who hand Lynx first loss, 94-76

Kristi Toliver tied a career high with seven three-pointers and scored a season high 25 points to help the Sparks defeat Minnesota, 94-76, on Friday night, ending the defending champion Lynx’s record season-opening winning streak at 13 games.

Toliver sank a three-pointer with 4:22 left and Candace Parker had a putback on the Sparks’ next possession for a 76-70 lead. Parker hit a three-pointer to extend Los Angeles’ lead to 81-72 and she drew an offensive foul on the other end. After a timeout, Essence Carson made the Sparks’ fourth three-pointer of the quarter to make it 84-72 with 2:03 left.

Nneka Ogwumike added 20 points and nine rebounds for the Sparks (12-1), who had suffered their first loss to the Lynx on Tuesday at Staples Center.

Parker finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists. The Sparks shot 51% overall and 58% on three-pointers (11 of 19).

“I thought L.A. had way more bounce in their step than we did throughout most of the game,” Minnesota Coach Cheryl Reeve said. “They were very persistent, they executed, they executed on their timeouts well. We just didn’t have all of that.”

Maya Moore was the only starter to reach double figures for Minnesota (13-1). She made six three-pointers and scored 28 points for her sixth 20-plus game of the season.

After the Sparks took a 38-36 lead at the half, the teams combined to make a three-pointer on six straight possessions at the start of the third quarter. Moore started the spurt and made all three for Minnesota. Parker hit one and Toliver made the following two for the Sparks.

Jantel Lavender hit a long jumper with 36 seconds left in the third to push Los Angeles’ lead to 65-56. The Sparks made the initial stop on Minnesota’s next possession, but a bad pass led to a Moore three-pointer as the Lynx pulled to within 65-59.

Lavender scored eight of her 10 points in the third and Moore tied a franchise record with five three-pointers in the quarter.

It was only the second time this season Minnesota has trailed entering the fourth quarter.

The teams don’t play again until Sept. 6 in Los Angeles.