Sparks Get a Minnesota Surprise
Judging by the minuscule crowd that filed into Target Center on Thursday -- an announced crowd of 3,622 -- there weren’t too many local folks who believed the Minnesota Lynx could beat the Sparks.
Too bad. They only missed the biggest victory in Minnesota franchise history.
The underdog Lynx overcame a 21-point second-half deficit, the largest in WNBA-playoff history, and stunned the two-time defending champion Sparks, 74-72, in Game 1 of their best-of-three first-round series.
Lynx forward Tamika Williams stole Mwadi Mabika’s inbound pass to Lisa Leslie, and raced in for the winning basket with 7.4 seconds to play.
“We were able to deny the ball,” Williams said. “We saw who Mabika was trying to go for ... and then Lisa stepped up. But she didn’t hold me off or anything. I knew Mabika had to throw it or call timeout.”
The Sparks were out of timeouts.
Williams was fouled on the play but missed the free throw. The Sparks got the rebound and rushed up court. But Mabika was unable to get off a shot before time expired.
“We knew it would be a tough game,” said Spark Coach Michael Cooper. “At first we were able to make their shots difficult for them. But in the second half it was a collapse. You have to give the Lynx a lot of credit because they did exactly what they had to do with a game at home.
“I’ve always been a firm believer that the playoffs don’t start until one team wins on the other’s court. They’ve held [home] court. Now we have to go back to L.A. and take care of business.”
It was the first time Minnesota had beaten the Sparks on its home court, playoffs or otherwise. And it was the Lynx’s first victory over the Sparks since beating them in the inaugural meeting between the teams on June 24, 1999.
In between, the Sparks had won 16 consecutive games against the Lynx
The teams return for Game 2 in Los Angeles on Saturday, and the Sparks find themselves in a position they haven’t been in since the 2000 playoffs -- having to win two straight games to advance.
Not surprisingly, the Sparks, who got a game-high 24 points from Leslie and 18 from Tamecka Dixon, were defiant afterward.
“We’re going to win Saturday,” Dixon said. “Put that in the paper, we will win.
“There was a lot of stuff going their way, and I don’t want to get fined. But they didn’t do [anything] that hurt us. We hurt ourselves. But we’ll be ready. If they try to put that press on us again on Saturday, they will get blown out. Put that in the paper.”
The Sparks, who had a nine-game playoff winning streak ended, may have lost more than a game. Starting point guard Nikki Teasley fell hard in the first half, and suffered an injured left knee. She did not return and there is no guarantee that she will play Saturday. Except from Teasley.
“I’m sore now,” said Teasley. “But it’s playoff time and we’re down one. Nothing’s going to stop me from coming back and trying to help my team win two games.”
She underwent X-rays after the game, which were negative. She will have an MRI exam when the team returns to Los Angeles.
Also injured was reserve guard Shaquala Williams, who was elbowed in the jaw with 3:06 left in the first half. She also did not return but is expected to be available Saturday.
The Sparks gave the Lynx fans little to cheer about early, making seven of their first eight shots and taking a 17-6 lead.
But with 10:04 left in the first half, Teasley was injured.
She was defending Minnesota guard Kristi Harrower in the Lynx front court when Harrower tried to drive down the middle of the lane. Teasley fought through a screen, then suddenly went airborne -- either by a fake or a trip -- and landed hard on the floor with her left leg extended awkwardly.
Teasley slapped the floor several times in obvious pain and had to be carried off.
“I just know my leg got caught underneath,” Teasley said, “and I fell back on it and hyperextended it. But I didn’t hear anything pop or tear.”
By halftime the Sparks’ lead ballooned to 49-32, and they scored the first two baskets to take their biggest lead, 53-32. But instead of quitting, the Lynx started pressuring full court, and outscored the Sparks, 30-12, to go ahead for the first time, 62-61.
“Down 21, if you come back and play half-court defense, 20 minutes is enough time to make it work,” said Katie Smith, who led Minnesota with 23 points.