Los Angeles Sparks vs. Minnesota Lynx Preview, Prediction and Odds - 6/12/21
A pair of Western Conference teams take the floor in the Land of 10,000 Lakes in search of a victory on the WNBA hardwood. The Los Angeles Sparks are on the road as they travel to face the Minnesota Lynx Saturday night. Los Angeles battled Washington in the nation’s capital Thursday night, losing 89-71. Minnesota was knocked off 85-81 on the road by Washington Tuesday night in their most recent contest. The teams split two meetings in the bubble last season with the “home” team winning both games. In the most recent matchup, it was the Lynx earning a 96-78 win on August 31, 2020. That snapped a six-game win streak for the Sparks in the series.
Los Angeles Sparks Look to Improve Playoff Position
Los Angeles had won four of five coming into Thursday’s game against the Mystics but started flat and never recovered. That dropped them to 4-4 on the season and they entered Friday holding the sixth seed in the WNBA playoff picture. The Sparks trailed 6-0 less than two minutes into the game and couldn’t get closer than four the rest of the way. Los Angeles trailed by nine after the opening quarter, by 10 at the half and by as many as 24 in the second half en route to the defeat. The Sparks shot 32.8% from the field, including eight of 23 from three-point range, lost the rebounding battle 43-31 and clanked nine of their 28 free throw attempts in the contest. Te’a Cooper led Los Angeles with 11 points in the loss.
On the season, Los Angeles is 11th in the league in scoring offense as they average 75.5 points per game. The Sparks are last in rebounding (29.5 boards per game) and 12th in assists (15.1) this season. Los Angeles is 3rd in scoring defense as they give up an average of 78.1 points a night. Nneka Ogwumike leads the team with 16.4 points plus seven rebounds a game this season. Chiney Ogwumike (nine points, 5.7 boards) and Kristi Tolliver (9.4 points) are solid secondary scoring options. Derek Fisher hopes to get more from role players like Brittney Sykes, Nia Coffey (9.8 points), Erica Wheeler (11.1 points, 3.8 assists), Te’a Cooper, Amanda Zahui B (10.7 points, 5.7 boards), Arella Guirantes and Bria Holmes. Los Angeles is 11th in field goal percentage on the season as they shoot 39.4% from the field as a team on the year. The Sparks are sixth in three-pointers per game (eight) and 5th in three-point shooting as they convert 35.2% from beyond the arc this season. Los Angeles is 11th in success at the charity stripe as they cash in 74.5% of their attempts on the year. Jasmine Walker was lost for the season with a torn ACL that she suffered against Las Vegas May 21. Chiney Ogwumike missed the last five games with a knee injury and is out indefinitely. Nneka Ogwumike is expected to miss four to six weeks with a knee sprain sustained against the Wings June 1.
Minnesota Lynx Try to Get Back in Win Column
Minnesota had their three-game win streak snapped with their defeat at the hands of Washington on the road Tuesday night. The Lynx dropped to 3-5 on the season and entered Friday tied for ninth in the WNBA playoff picture, half a game behind the Wings for the final playoff spot. Minnesota led by nine in the first quarter only to see the lead trimmed to one at the end of the opening quarter. The Lynx trailed by five at the half and took their last lead at 48-47 with 6:15 to play in the third quarter. Minnesota then gave up a 21-2 run to trail 68-50 with 1:09 to play in the third and couldn’t get closer than four the rest of the way. The Lynx shot 40.6% from the field, including six of 22 from three-point range, but turned the ball over 21 times in the loss. Napheesa Collier led Minnesota with 22 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks in the loss.
On the season, the Lynx are 8th in the league in scoring offense with an average of 80.8 points per game. Minnesota is 10th in rebounding as they collect 34 boards a night while the team is tied for third in assists by dishing 20.5 dimes a night. The Lynx are seventh in the league in scoring defense as they give up an average of 82.3 points per contest this season. Sylvia Fowles is second on the team with 17 points plus 8.6 rebounds per contest. Kayla McBride (12.9 points), Crystal Dangerfield (11.4 points, 4.1 assists) and Aerial Powers (11 points, five rebounds, 4.3 assists) are solid secondary scoring options. Damiris Dantas, Napheesa Collier (17.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists), Jessica Shepard, Layshia Clarendon (11 points, 4.5 assists), Bridget Carleton, Rachael Banham, Natalie Achonwa and Linnae Harper are looked at to be contributors for coach Cheryl Reeve. Minnesota stands sixth in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 42.8% from the field as a team this year. The Lynx are 8th in the league in three-pointers per game (6.8) and 10th in three-point shooting as they hit only 31% of their attempts from beyond the arc. Minnesota is 6th in the league in free throw shooting as they hit 80.7% of their attempts at the charity stripe. Powers (hamstring) and Rennia Davis (foot) are out indefinitely at this point in time. Shepard missed Tuesday’s game with a groin injury and is questionable here.
Pick: Minnesota Lynx -9
Minnesota has had three days of rest leading into this one while Los Angeles had to play Washington Thursday. The Lynx had won three straight before getting upended by the Mystics but they have plenty of weapons to work with offensively, led by Fowles and Collier. Los Angeles is shorthanded as both Ogwumikes are missing from their rotation. That puts a lot of pressure on the rest of the Sparks to try and step up offensively. It’s an uphill climb for the Sparks offensively with a lack of proven commodities to lean on at this stage of things. Minnesota plays well at home and they take advantage of the banged-up Sparks to get the win here.
Total: Under 157.5
While both teams have been up and down on the defensive end of the floor this season, the fact remains that Los Angeles has a shorthanded rotation to work with here. It’s tough to see them generating a ton of offensive production given their current situation. The Sparks have seen the under hit in six of their eight games on the year. Minnesota has seen the over hit in five of their eight contests coming into this one. With Los Angeles missing key contributors, the Lynx might be content to take control and then grind things out. This one ultimately falls short of the number as it’s hard to have faith in the Sparks generating big offensive production.
