Thompson's "spark" generates big road win against Lynx

BY MIKE PEDEN

Photo by Onika Craven

The Los Angeles Sparks began their second half of the season by ending their three-game losing streak against the Minnesota Lynx Tuesday night at Target Center.

Sparks forward Tina Thompson scored a season-high 30 points in a 76-70 victory. 20 of those points came in the second half.

"My teammates were doing a great job of getting me open, especially Noelle (Quinn), Betty (Lennox) and Shannon (Bobbitt)," she said.

Lynx guard Roneeka Hodges scored less than half of Thompson's total, leading the Lynx with just 14.

The Sparks (5-9) led for most of the game after scoring a 20-0 run in the first quarter, finishing the first half with a 35-22 lead despite sinking just 34% of their shots.

The Lynx (10-8) also suffered shooting woes as many baskets that appeared to go in rimmed out. The Lynx made just 27% of their first-half shots.

"I could have sworn I saw a ghost knocking some balls out of the rim," said Lynx head coach Jennifer Gillom.

The Lynx nearly capped off a comeback in the second half, chipping away at the Sparks lead until a Kelly Miller jump shot gave the Lynx a 52-50 lead with 8:40 left in the fourth quarter.

The Lynx were up by as much as three before Thompson made one last push to seal the game for the Sparks. Thompson converted a three-point play with 4:04 to go to give the Sparks a 62-61 lead, and her team would not trail for the remainder of the game. Thompson scored 10 points from the 4:04 mark and blocked a Nicky Anosike layup for good measure.

"Thompson came in and did her job," said Lynx forward Rashanda McCants. "We would try to make a run, (and) she just hit up a big shot."

Sparks forward Candace Parker scored just 12 points as she continues to adjust after missing the first month of the season for maternity leave.

"I'm not able to blow past people like last year, but it's making me do the little things," she said.

Parker did finish with a double-double, picking up 10 rebounds against the Lynx. Four Sparks players scored double-figures.

The Sparks have some work to do to get back in the playoff race as they are two games behind San Antonio for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.

"You definitely can't vie for a championship without winning road games, so this is a step in the right direction," Thompson said.

Notable for the Lynx was the debut of forward Anna Montañana from Spain. Montañana got two points and two rebounds in 15 minutes of play.

Also notable was Gillom's suggestion that she would stop referring to the Lynx's struggles at home, where they have a 5-5 record.

"No matter where we are, we just got to play," she said.