Sparks Score the Final Eight Points to End Lynx's 10-Game Winning Streak, 89-82

Rae Burrell scored 17 points and the Los Angeles Sparks closed the game on an 8-0 run to beat the Minnesota Lynx 89-82 on Thursday night at Target Center. Minnesota had won 10 straight.

Kayla McBride's 3-pointer with 4:53 to play put the Lynx in front 82-81. Minnesota missed its last seven shots and did not score again.

Nneka Ogwumike ran out for a layup with 2:39 left to give Los Angeles the lead back. Erica Wheeler hit a 10-foot pull-up with 1:59 remaining. Monique Akoa Makani made a 13-foot step-back with 1:18 on the clock, and Wheeler drove for a layup with 37.5 seconds to go.

Burrell shot 5-of-11 from the floor, 3-for-6 from 3-point range, and 4-for-4 at the line. Dearica Hamby added 16 points, nine rebounds, and two assists on 7-of-9 shooting in fewer than 25 minutes.

Los Angeles outscored Minnesota 46-28 in the paint and 14-9 on the fast break, and finished with 27 assists to 17. There were nine lead changes and four ties.

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said Minnesota's defense stopped resembling its May and June form on July 3.

"46 points in the paint," Reeve said. "46 points in the paint. Literally a team can get whatever they want on us. Doesn't matter the action, doesn't matter which personnel you go against, they get anything they want. And that's what I watched for 40 minutes.

"Actually, we played well for the first four minutes of the game. It's a shame that they have to keep playing hard for the rest of the game. That's really difficult on them."

Minnesota shot 27.8% (5-of-18) in the fourth quarter and 12.5% (1-of-8) from 3-point range. The Lynx scored four points in the paint over the final 10 minutes and none on the break.

Ogwumike finished with 16 points and seven rebounds. She said Cameron Brink's work inside was the difference for the Sparks' defense down the stretch.

"I think simply, honestly, just locking into the scout," Ogwumike said. "I think we did a really good job of ensuring every timeout, every huddle, we knew what we were doing.

"We actually ended up changing our defensive scout maybe five minutes into the game. And so what we ended up doing for the rest of the game wasn't something that we had done in a couple games. But I felt like how we were able to respond in that way in those five minutes was indicative of how we were able to lock into the defense at the end of the game.

"We just made sure that we communicated early, we understood who they were trying to go to, but most importantly, not fouling. I think that that's also something that really helped us towards the end. And just staying connected in that way — it sounds simple, but it was displayed in a really big way for us tonight to get the win."

Brink scored 12 points with eight rebounds and a career-high five assists. She blocked three shots, matching her season high, and her plus-22 rating was the best figure in the game.

Brink said the Sparks held a team meeting Thursday and were candid with one another.

"I think I've told myself, especially with the coaches too, just keep it simple," Brink said. "Basketball's fun, and I feel like when the ball's moving and you have people around you like Nneka and Ariel, even Mo — like, everybody's just — it's so easy. So I've just been trying to have that mentality of moving the ball and making the right play."

Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said Akoa Makani has picked up Los Angeles' defensive terminology faster than most players would in two games.

"Cam was phenomenal," Roberts said. "Difference maker. Her length on Phee. Phee is a really hard guard, with her turnarounds and her step back. She's just so skilled. But Cam's length was a factor down the stretch.

"And then I think Mo, Monique, was tremendous. She's been with us for four days, and she played down the stretch, played in the final minutes.

"This has been an interesting four days, but I'm really proud of our group, the way we've just kind of kept on business and the way we responded to last night. Back-to-backs are tough. Traveling in between them are tough, and our players showed tremendous toughness and fortitude, and I think that's the thing I'm most pleased with."

Akoa Makani scored seven points in 18 minutes off the bench. Phoenix acquired Kelsey Plum from Los Angeles on August 2, and Plum made her first start for the Mercury the following night. Wheeler had 12 points, four rebounds, and a season-high nine assists.

Before tip-off, Roberts said the Sparks have shown Brink film on altering shots rather than going for blocks, and that Brink, in her third season, has played 44 games.

"I think — I mean, I'm gonna be echoing things here, but there was just a great mentality in the timeouts," Roberts explained. "I could tell we were onto the next play. There wasn't the frustration. They were focused on, okay, what are we doing? There was a lot of communicating. It was that next-play mentality of really focusing, like Nneka said, on what we're supposed to do.

"And honestly, it comes down to defense. Holding Minnesota to 11 in the fourth — that's doing the best job you can.

"And so, but again, it was just the determination and, again, that toughness. That's hard to do on a back-to-back here in Minnesota. So again, just continuing — even though we're two-thirds of the way through the season, still learning who we are and where we can get better, and I thought we took a big step forward tonight."

Olivia Miles led the Lynx with 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting, adding eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals. It was her fifth game this season with at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists.

Napheesa Collier had 21 points on 10-of-20 shooting, eight rebounds, and six assists. That was her first 20-point, five-rebound, five-assist game of the season and the 21st of her career.

Courtney Williams added 12 points, eight rebounds, a steal, and a block. Her five field goals moved her to 25th on the WNBA career field goals made list with 1,962, passing Lindsay Whalen.

Minnesota grabbed 35 rebounds, its 13th game this season with at least 35. The Lynx had seven steals, the 26th time they have reached seven this year.

Minnesota led by 11 points in the first quarter and took a 22-21 lead into the second. An 11-0 Lynx run in the second quarter opened a 43-37 lead, and Miles hit a 24-foot step-back at the buzzer for a 48-40 halftime score.

Los Angeles lost to Chicago 95-88 on Wednesday, the first half of the back-to-back. The Sparks are 12-18. Minnesota is 25-7.

Thursday was the Sparks' first win over the Lynx since Sept. 19, 2024, and their highest-scoring win in the series since Aug. 9, 2020, a 97-81 game. Los Angeles is 1-2 against Minnesota this season.

The Sparks host the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. The Lynx host the Las Vegas Aces on Saturday.