SPARKS TODAY

at Minnesota, 3 p.m. PDT

Site -- Target Center.

Radio -- 690.

Records -- Sparks 12-12, Minnesota 11-14.

Record vs. Lynx -- 1-1.

Update -- Coming off a much-needed victory Friday at San Antonio, the Sparks could use another over Minnesota, particularly with games at Connecticut and New York next on the schedule. Eight days ago, this game appeared to have playoff implications for both teams, but that was before the Lynx traded Katie Smith, their all-time leading scorer, to Detroit for a pair of non-starters and a first-round draft pick. Since then, Minnesota has lost twice, and Phoenix, winner of nine of its last 11 games, has passed the Lynx and moved within half a game of the fourth-place Sparks. Chamique Holdsclaw, who had 21 points in Friday’s 66-63 victory over San Antonio, continues to lead the league with a scoring average of 18.5. She and center Lisa Leslie will have to contend with a big Minnesota front line of 6-5 Nicole Ohlde, 6-4 Vanessa Hayden and 6-2 Svetlana Abrosimova.

-- Van Nightingale