Lynx Finally Break Sparks’ Spell, 78-66

There were 9,642 people in Staples Center on Fan Appreciation Night for the Sparks’ game Friday. And only a handful could appreciate what Minnesota accomplished here.

Before Friday, the Lynx had defeated the Sparks only once in Los Angeles, and that was the first meeting between the teams on June 24, 1999. Since then Minnesota had lost 18 consecutive regular-season games to the Sparks.

That streak came to an emphatic end here, however, 78-66.

How emphatic? When’s the last time the Sparks (24-9) played the Lynx and never led once? The best they could do Friday were two ties in the second half.

“It’s a great win,” Lynx Coach Suzie McConnell Serio said. “Our team came to play tonight. I could not be more proud of their effort; they executed the game plan the way we wanted to and we got great contributions from all our players.”

Minnesota (18-15) needed either one more victory or one more Phoenix loss to clinch a playoff spot. The Lynx got it when the Mercury lost a bit earlier in the night to Washington. But if the Minnesota players knew that result, they didn’t play like it.

Led by rookies Nicole Ohlde, who had 19, and Vanessa Hayden, who had 16 off the bench, the Lynx played the entire night with a hunger that only seemed to increase as the night went on. They now have a good shot at holding on to third place in the Western Conference; their final game is on Sunday at Sacramento.

“I think our focus in practice yesterday was being hungry for tonight’s win,” said Hayden, who made eight of 18 shots, mostly within five feet of the basket. “We had just come off a huge loss in Houston, where we should have won the game. Everybody was ready to play and win.”

Added Ohlde, who made five of 10 shots from the field and nine of 10 free throws: “Everybody is very excited. Having lost Katie Smith probably changed a lot of people’s perspective. But [Friday night] was a total team effort, everybody coming out and doing their part.”

Smith, a U.S. Olympian, is out for the season because of an injury. It was only the second loss at home for the Sparks this season (the other a 79-70 setback to Sacramento on July 17).

Beyond a season-high 18 points from Tamika Whitmore off the bench and 15 from Mwadi Mabika, there was little for L.A. to like -- getting outrebounded, 36-33, and making only 37.7% (26 of 69) of its shots against a defense that has allowed opponents 40.3% shooting.

No one was more frustrated than Lisa Leslie, who played only 19 minutes and scored nine points before fouling out.

“We can’t make any excuses,” Leslie said. “Minnesota did a good job, getting the ball inside the post however they wanted it. Those are definitely some adjustments we have to make.”

Added Whitmore: “We came out of the blocks sluggish and we never regrouped. But now we have to put this game out of our minds.”