Sparks Notes:

• Los Angeles won its third consecutive game, improving to 6-14 on the season, with an 83-61 win over Minnesota.

• The 22-point win marked the largest margin of victory this season and first 20-plus point victory since July 13, 2014 at Connecticut.

• The Sparks moved up to fourth in the Western Conference standings following the win over the Lynx and the Stars loss against the Sun (8/4).

• Following a basket by Toliver with 1:26 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Sparks led by 24, setting its largest lead of the season.

• The Sparks snapped a three-game losing streak against the Lynx at STAPLES Center. The victory was the first home win against Minnesota since September 12, 2013.

• Los Angeles set a season-high 54 points in the paint to Minnesota’s 22 • The Sparks registered a season-high 12 steals. Nneka Ogwumike led the Sparks

with a season-high four steals. • Four Sparks players scored in double-figures: Parker (18 points), Lavender (14

points), Ogwumike (13 points), Beard (10 points). Los Angeles is 3-0 at home when four players score in double-figures.

• Candace Parker recorded her second double-double of the season with a game-high 18 points and 13 rebounds. She is averaging 19.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in four games.

• For the fourth time in her career, Jantel Lavender recorded a career-high 13 rebounds. The forward finished with 14 points (7-11) and 13 rebounds for her league-leading 11 double-doubles.

Lynx Notes:

• Minnesota was handed its fifth loss of the season (15-5), falling to Los Angeles, 83-61. The loss also ended a three-game win streak for the Lynx.

• The Lynx were led by forward Maya Moore and guard Lindsay Whalen, each with 13 points.

• Moore, the league’s second leading scorer, was held scoreless in the second half, finishing with 13 points, snapping her 11-game streak of 20-plus scoring performances. In her two previous games against Los Angeles, Moore averaged 24.5 points.

• Minnesota lost the turnover battle and committed 15 turnovers, compared to Los Angeles’ six turnovers.

• The Lynx were held to a season-low 61 points, including another season-low of 26 second half points.

TEAM SCORE RECORD HIGH POINTS HIGH REBOUNDS HIGH ASSISTS

LYNX 61 15-5 Moore – 13 Brunson – 9 Cruz – 4

SPARKS 83 6-14 Parker – 18 Parker, Lavender – 13 Beard - 7

POSTGAME NOTES LOS ANGELES SPARKS vs. MINNESOTA LYNX

STAPLES CENTER | AUGUST 4, 2015  

LOS ANGELES SPARKS QUOTES LOS ANGELES SPARKS HEAD COACH BRIAN AGLER On Candace Parker… “Candace  [Parker]  is  extremely  talented.  She  can  distribute  just  as  much  as  she  can  score.    When  the  ball  is  in  her  hands,  she  sees  the  floor  well.  She’ll  move  the  basketball  along  and  move  herself  being  aggressive  that  way.    She  can  really  help  our  offense  run  and  she  did  a  really  good  job  of  that.  She  is  doing  a  good  job  for  us  in  that  capacity.  ” On the team’s offensive success… “When  we  move  the  basketball,  we  can  be  really  good  offensively.  Sometimes  we  get  stagnant.  Sometimes  everyone  wants  to  be  on  the  perimeter,  and  no  one  wants  to  be  inside.    We  have  got  to  have  a  good  balance  of  both.  We  just  want  ball  movement.  We  got  to  get  the  ball  to  the  right  people,  but  we  want  to  play  both  sides  of  the  floor  and  we  want  to  play  inside  out.” LOS ANGELES SPARKS FORWARD CANDACE PARKER On playing at home for the first time this season… ““It  feels  great.    Obviously,  we  knew  this  was  a  big  game  for  us  playing  against  Minnesota,  the  best  team  in  the  league.  I  think  we  came  out  and  played  aggressive,  especially  in  the  second  half.” On the Sparks’ playoff push… “I  think  that  we’re  just  happy  to  be  back  at  home  and  on  a  win  streak.    We  know  every  game  is  big  for  us,  and  any  play  can  turn  the  season  around.    I  think  as  long  as  we  keep  playing  with  that  energy  from  everybody,  then  we  will  be  successful.”   LOS ANGELES SPARKS CENTER JANTEL LAVENDER On tying her career-high in rebounds… “I  just  went  after  the  ball.  I  am  just  trying  to  do  whatever  I  can  for  our  team  to  win.    If  that’s  boxing  out  and  rebounding,  then  that’s  what  I’m  going  to  do.    Some  offensive  rebounds  came.    I  was  just  pursuing  the  ball  really  hard  for  us  to  win  this  game.    I  knew  we  wanted  to  get  on  a  three-­‐game  win  streak,  so  it  was  important  that  all  of  us  tuned  in  and  did  what  we  had  to  do  in  order  to  win.”

On the starting lineup’s chemistry… “I’ve  been  here  for  five  years  with  Kristi  [Toliver]  and  Candace  [Parker].    We  just  know  each  other.    We  just  play  well  off  of  each  other.    We  know  each  of  our  tendencies,  and  it  just  works.    Candace  brings  a  different  dynamic  because  the  floor  is  a  lot  more  spaced.    We  are  getting  a  lot  more  cuts  from  the  wing.    It’s  just  easier  and  more  open.  ”  

MINNESOTA LYNX QUOTES

MINNESOTA HEAD COACH CHRERYL REEVE On tonight’s game… ““It was a seven-point game in the fourth quarter with about eight minutes to go and we had the ball and we played terrible. We don’t underestimate them. The games we’ve played have been close, even without all their players. We’re fully aware that the Sparks are a good basketball team.” On Candace Parker’s performance… “The game plan was not that much different. Parker is a great player. She was a great player when we saw her in Minneapolis, and she’s a great player here in Los Angeles. The team – concepts wise – we didn’t get the stuff done that we were trying to get them.” MINNESOTA LYNX FORWARD MAYA MOORE On the Sparks’ defense… “Overall, we weren’t the best we wanted to be as a team, defensively. We didn’t have a lot of good flow that we usually play with. We turned the ball over, and sparked their transition, and settled early for some quick shots. It was just a struggle to get into our offense. We weren’t able to get some of our passes. The little things costed us.” On the Minnesota’s fourth quarter performance… “Our mentality is always to start a run, get stops and come together defensively. We have to be more disciplined on defense and more determined.”  

MINNESOTA LYNX GUARD LINDSAY WHALEN On the team performance… ““We wanted to play better defense. We didn’t exactly get that done tonight. They did well to get their job done and we’ve still got some work to do.” On the difference compared to the last two meetings with Los Angeles… ““They played well. I give them credit. They forced us into some tough shots and we didn’t move the ball like we should have.”