SPARKS TONIGHT

at Minnesota, 4:30 PDT, ESPN2

Site -- Target Center.

Radio -- KPLS (830).

Records -- Sparks 24-10, Lynx 18-16.

Record vs. Lynx -- 4-0.

Update -- By tipoff, Minnesota will be sick of hearing about its losing streak to the Sparks, which stands at 16 games in the regular season. Coach Suzie McConnell Serio said the Lynx must concentrate on rebounding and stalling the Sparks’ fast break. “They have five scorers,” McConnell Serio said. “We have to be aware of everybody.” The Sparks have won nine consecutive playoff games, including all six last year when they swept their way to a second consecutive WNBA title.

-- Mike Terry

SCHEDULE

Game 1 -- Tonight at Minnesota, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2

Game 2 -- Saturday at Staples Center, 7 p.m., NBA TV and Telemundo

Game 3 (if necessary) -- Monday at Staples Center, 7 p.m., NBA TV

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Missing Lynx

Minnesota’s Katie Smith, the all-time leading career scorer in U.S. women’s pro basketball, was held scoreless for the first time in a WNBA game in a loss to the Sparks, the same team against which she scored a league-record 46 points in a 2001 game. Smith’s scoring totals against the Sparks, with game results:

1999

*--* June 24 12 Lynx, 86-73 July 1 12 Sparks, 81-77 Aug. 6 13 Sparks, 77-59 Aug. 18 7 Sparks, 72-54

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2000

*--* June 3 33 Sparks, 82-75 July 15 20 Sparks, 58-57 July 31 16 Sparks, 73-66

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2001

*--* June 9 24 Sparks, 62-60 July 8 46 Sparks, 100-95 July 30 12 Sparks, 78-69

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2002

*--* June 8 22 Sparks, 76-72 June 21 27 Sparks, 73-64 Aug. 11 13 Sparks, 69-58

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2003

*--* May 28 19 Sparks, 83-80 June 10 18 Sparks, 76-75 Aug. 14 14 Sparks, 87-83 Aug. 21 0 Sparks, 88-65

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