Dixon Again Helps Save Sparks
The Sparks, nearly missing an opportunity to move within half a game of Western Conference leader Houston, needed a steady hand by Tamecka Dixon for the second straight night Saturday.
She made two free throws with 1.3 seconds remaining, allowing the Sparks to escape with a 58-57 victory over Minnesota before 6,071 at the Great Western Forum.
Dixon, who energized the Sparks’ driving finish Friday night in a 63-58 victory over Houston, was handed the chance to win Saturday’s game after Minnesota’s Betty Lennox made an 18-foot shot for a 57-56 Lynx lead with seven seconds left.
After a timeout, Dixon took an inbound pass from Mwadi Mabika, made a great circle route around Minnesota’s defense, drove to the basket, and was fouled by rookie center Maylana Martin.
Dixon made the first free throw to tie it, then made the second--but lost it on a double lane violation. Given a third free throw, she made it.
“I really didn’t have much to think about. I just cleared my mind and shot the ball,” Dixon said.
It was nearly a thrill-a-second in the stretch, after the Sparks (18-3) had frittered away a 50-42 lead with 9:14 left.
Minnesota’s Katie Smith, who scored 20 points, made a three-point shot with 1:15 to go to bring the Lynx (10-11) to within 54-52. Lennox made a three-point shot with 32 seconds left to put Minnesota ahead, 55-54.
Lisa Leslie, who made all 14 of her free throw, made two with 12.8 seconds left for a 56-55 Spark lead.
Martin, the WNBA’s 11th draft pick from UCLA, played 26 minutes and scored 11 before fouling out on the Sparks’ last possession.
It was Martin’s second start of the season. In the June 3 game between the teams at Minneapolis, she didn’t play.
Saturday, nine seconds into the game, Martin fouled Leslie, who made both free throws.
In the next minute, Martin scored over Leslie inside and Leslie made a six-footer over Martin.
“I’m proud of the effort my players made,” said Lynx Coach Brian Agler, whose team lost its sixth straight. “We got up at 4 this morning in Portland to fly down here.”
The Sparks, led by Leslie’s 24 points and 13 rebounds, were without DeLisha Milton for most of the second half after she was ejected for a second technical foul.
The Sparks were on their way to a double-digit halftime lead when Minnesota finished the half with a 12-4 run. The Sparks failed to score in the last 4:50 of the half.
Spark Coach Michael Cooper and Leslie drew technical fouls in the half, then Milton and Minnesota’s Keitha Dickerson traded shoves at the baseline and both received technicals.
The victory moved the Sparks closer to Houston (19-3), the three-time league champion.
Lost in the bedlam of the Sparks’ win Friday was the fact that they have won the season series with the Comets. If the clubs tie for the Western Conference championship, the Sparks will have home-court advantage in the playoffs. The teams’ third and last regular-season meeting is July 29 at Houston.