Smith’s 40-Point Outburst Is a Winner for the Lynx

Katie Smith scored a career-high and team-record 40 points as the Minnesota Lynx beat the Detroit Shock, 71-63, Sunday night before 5,076 at Auburn Hills, Mich.

Smith and Cynthia Cooper are the only players to score 40 or more points in a WNBA game. Cooper, who played with Houston and is the coach of the Phoenix Mercury, scored 44 and 42 points while with the Comets.

The Lynx (2-4) ended a four-game losing streak and improved to 3-1 against Detroit. The Shock’s three-game winning streak was halted.

Smith had five three-point baskets in the first half and single-handedly outscored the Shock, 21-20.

Minnesota shot seven for 11 from three-point range in the first half and 50% overall while building a 38-20 lead by the break.

The Shock opened the second half with a 27-13 run, closing within 51-47 with 10:12 remaining. Carla Boyd scored nine points in the outburst.

Minnesota countered with a 9-2 run, increasing its lead to 60-49 with 7:36 left. Smith scored five points in the surge.

Minnesota guard Betty Lennox left the game because of an injured left hamstring at 15:39 of the second half. She did not return.

Boyd scored 14 points to lead the Shock. Barbara Farris added a career-high 12 points.

New York 55, Miami 48--Crystal Robinson scored 13 points and Vickie Johnson added 10 as the Liberty (5-3) beat the Sol (4-3) before 8,561 at Miami for their fourth consecutive victory.

Elena Baranova scored a season-high 22 points, along with eight rebounds and four blocked shots, for the Sol, which has lost three consecutive games after opening the season 4-0.

The Sol shot a season-worst 26.2% from the field.

Tari Phillips had eight points and 12 rebounds for New York.

The Liberty held Miami’s Sandy Brondello, who had been averaging 18 points, to only two points on one-for-13 shooting.

Cleveland 57, Washington 55--Merlakia Jones scored 17 points and the Rockers (6-3) used two 15-2 runs to beat the Mystics (2-5) before 13,497 at Washington.

The Rockers extended their winning streak to four games. The Mystics lost their fourth in a row.

Chasity Melvin had 12 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for the Rockers.

Chamique Holdsclaw led the Mystics with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

After the Rockers’ 15-2 run for a 57-50 lead with 3:30 left, the Mystics had two chances to tie or win in the waning seconds.

Trailing 57-54, Nikki McCray missed a wide-open jumper with eight seconds left. The Mystics got the ball back after McCray made a free throw with five seconds left, but Annie Burgess’ runner in the lane missed everything as the final horn sounded.