Sparks defeat Lynx to end losing streak
For the Sparks, it was good to be home, finally.
LaToya Thomas came off the bench to score 15 of her season-high 23 points in the second half and Christi Thomas scored all 12 of her points in the first half as the Sparks defeated the Minnesota Lynx, 89-80, in front of 9,938 Sunday night at Staples Center.
The victory broke an eight-game home losing streak for the Sparks, who had not won at Staples since defeating Sacramento, 74-66, on June 27.
It also ended a five-game overall losing streak for L.A., which already had been eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 1998.
“It’s been a trying time, but we came out and we fought. We just came to play tonight,” LaToya Thomas said. “We’re playing for pride now. We’re putting on our jerseys, our names.”
Two Thomases proved too much for Minnesota (8-23), a young team that came into the game with the worst record in the league but with more momentum than the Sparks (10-21) after having won three of its previous five games.
LaToya Thomas, who sat out seven games because of a strained right calf last month, appeared back at full strength, making eight of 11 shots from the field and seven of eight free throws. Christi Thomas played in place of starting forward Taj McWilliams-Franklin and made five of seven field-goal attempts and both of her free throws. McWilliams-Franklin missed the game to attend the funeral of her mother-in-law, who died Friday.
The Sparks, playing their second game in two days, also were without center Jessica Moore and point guard Temeka Johnson because of injuries, but others played well in their absence.
“We just wanted to come out and have a little energy, even though we might have been a little tired,” Christi Thomas said. “We just had fun. We came out and played hard.”
The Sparks led from start to finish and boasted six players in double figures for the second game in a row. Besides the two Thomases, Sidney Spencer had 15 points and reserve center Tye’sha Fluker scored a career-high 11 points. Marta Fernandez also came off the bench to score 11 points, and Murriel Page finished with 10.
It was more than enough to offset a game-high 28 points by Lynx guard Seimone Augustus, the WNBA’s second-leading scorer, who had a 22.7-point average entering the game.
The Lynx, who fell behind by their largest margin at 48-33 with 6 minutes 54 seconds left in the third quarter, twice cut the deficit to two points. Augustus scored 10 points in the third period to help Minnesota pull to within 56-54 and then 58-56, but the Sparks responded each time.
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