Los Angeles Sparks vs. Minnesota Lynx Preview, Prediction and Odds - 9/2/21
A pair of Western Conference teams are on the hardwood in the Land of 10,000 Lakes for a WNBA clash. The Los Angeles Sparks are on the road as they travel to face the Minnesota Lynx Thursday night. Los Angeles was edged 74-72 on the road by Indiana in their previous contest Tuesday night. Minnesota turned aside New York 74-66 at home in their most recent contest Tuesday night. The Lynx have won the last three head-to-head meetings in the series, including a pair this season. Minnesota prevailed 80-64 at home on June 12 and followed that up with an 86-61 victory on the road in the most recent matchup July 11.
Los Angeles Sparks Trying to Reverse Recent Slide
Los Angeles suffered their fourth straight loss as they were edged on the road by the last-place Fever in their most recent contest. The Sparks enter this game 10th in the WNBA standings, half a game behind the Liberty for the final playoff spot. On Tuesday night, Los Angeles was involved in a back-and-forth contest but couldn’t put things away when it mattered. The Sparks trailed by three after the opening quarter, by five at the half and by eight early in the second half before rallying. Los Angeles took a three-point lead after three quarters and held an eight-point edge with 3:05 to play. The Sparks went scoreless the rest of the way, giving up the final 10 points to take the loss. Los Angeles shot 47.5% from the floor, including six of 17 from three-point range, but was destroyed 39-20 on the glass in the contest. Nneka Ogwumike led the Sparks with 17 points and five assists in the loss.
On the season, Los Angeles is 12th in the league in scoring offense as they average 73.1 points per game. The Sparks are last in rebounding (29.3 boards per game) and 12th in assists (15.6) this season. Los Angeles is 2nd in scoring defense as they give up an average of 78.4 points a night. Nneka Ogwumike leads the team with 13.8 points plus six rebounds a game this season. Chiney Ogwumike (7.8 points, 4.8 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 (8.3 points), Erica Wheeler (13.6 points, 4.6 assists), Te’a Cooper (8.3 points), Amanda Zahui B. (10.4 points, 5.5 boards) and Arella Guirantes. Los Angeles is 12th in field goal percentage on the season as they shoot 40.7% from the field as a team on the year. The Sparks are 8th in three-pointers per game (6.8) and 10th in three-point shooting as they convert 32.9% from beyond the arc this season. Los Angeles is 11th in success at the charity stripe as they cash in 76% 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 is questionable again as she has missed the last two games with a knee injury after missing 19 games earlier this season. Toliver (hand) has been ruled out for this contest.
Minnesota Lynx Seek Fourth Straight Win
Minnesota ran their win streak to three straight games as they knocked off New York at home Tuesday night. The Lynx improved to 16-9 on the year and enter this one with momentum on their side. They are fourth in the WNBA playoff picture, four games behind the Sun for the top spot. On Tuesday night, Minnesota was up five after the opening quarter, by two at the half and took control of the game with a run spanning the third and fourth quarters. The Lynx led by one with just over two minutes to play in the third quarter before going on a 10-2 run to take a 58-49 lead with 9:37 to play and didn’t let New York closer than two the rest of the way. Minnesota shot 34.8% from the field, including five of 26 from three-point range, and held New York to 32.4% from the field in the contest. Kayla McBride led the Lynx with 25 points and nine rebounds in the win.
On the season, the Lynx are 6th in the league in scoring offense with an average of 82.1 points per game. Minnesota is 8th in rebounding as they collect 34.5 boards a night while the team is fourth in assists by dishing 20.3 dimes a night. The Lynx are third in the league in scoring defense as they give up an average of 79.3 points per contest this season. Sylvia Fowles is currently leading the team with 16.6 points plus 10 rebounds per contest. Kayla McBride (14.1 points), Crystal Dangerfield (7.8 points, three assists) and Aerial Powers (8.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists) are solid secondary scoring options. Damiris Dantas, Napheesa Collier (16.3 points, six rebounds, 3.1 assists), Jessica Shepard, Layshia Clarendon (10.5 points, 5.7 assists), Bridget Carleton, Rachael Banham, Natalie Achonwa and Linnae Harper are looked at to be contributors for coach Cheryl Reeve. Minnesota stands second in the league in field goal percentage as they shoot 45.5% from the field as a team this year. The Lynx are 9th in the league in three-pointers per game (6.7) and 7th in three-point shooting as they hit 34.1% of their attempts from beyond the arc. Minnesota is 4th in the league in free throw shooting as they hit 83.1% of their attempts at the charity stripe. Fowles (shoulder) is questionable here while Dantas (leg) and Clarendon (leg) have both been ruled out here. Rennia Davis (foot) is out indefinitely at this point in time.
Pick: Minnesota Lynx
Los Angeles started the post-Olympic break on a roll with four straight wins but they have dropped four straight coming into this one. Losing to Indiana was a new low for the Sparks and they are going to face an uphill climb here against a surging Minnesota team. The Lynx are going to be minus Dantas and Clarendon while Fowles is questionable for this contest. Minnesota has gone a solid 9-3 at home this season while Los Angeles is only 3-10 on the road while getting outscored by an average of 7.7 points per game in those contests. You have to fade the Sparks here and give the edge to the Lynx as they earn a fourth straight win.
Total: Under
The under has hit in six of the last nine meetings between the teams, including both matchups this season. We saw the games finish with totals of 144 and 147 points in their two meetings, falling 13 and 5.5 points under the total, respectively. Los Angeles has seen the under hit in seven of their last 10 games this season, including each of their last two meetings. That puts the under as 18-9 in their games this season. Minnesota has seen the under hit in six of their last 10 games with two straight unders coming into this one. Seeing how the Sparks are struggling and with both teams dealing with injury issues, this one ends up falling short of the total.
