Mental Toughness and Defense Will Be The Key For Sparks To Win This Series

Story by L.T.Willis

The Minnesota Lynx will be hosting the Los Angeles Sparks in Game 1 of the WNBA
Western Conference Finals on Thursday night. Photo by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports.

Let's just throw away the both teams records as the Minnesota Lynx will be hosting the Los Angeles Sparks in Game 1 of the WNBA Western Conference Finals. Two of the leagues superstars Candace Parker and Maya Moore will try to keep each other from making it to the WNBA Championship Finals. For the Sparks to get there, they must get pass the Lynx. Forget all the hype about rather or not if Candace Parker and the Sparks can make it to the finals, when their defense and offense is on, and they play smart, there is no team in the WNBA that can beat the Sparks.

Los Angeles Sparks' Candace Parker and Minnesota
Lynx' Maya Moore. Photo by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports.

This is the true moment for the Los Angeles Sparks and Candace Parker to make a statement to all their fans, can we make it to the WNBA Championship Finals. For get about the teams scoring averages and points allow per game, this series is going to come down too to two key factors, mental toughness and defense. The mental toughness is when you have to play through when your team, or your major players are struggling on offense. Mental toughness is when sometimes the officiating is not as good as some nights and you have to play with fouls. Mental toughness is when each player on the Los Angeles Sparks and the Minnesota Lynx have to give all they have for their team mates.

The Sparks' defense must keep Maya Moore and company from having a great start
in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Photo by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports.

The Sparks defense has been the calling card for this team all season long thanks to the great coaching by Carol Ross and her coaching staff. There have been several times this season that the Sparks came out the gate in games slow, and had to dig themselves out of a hole. There also have been times that even when the Sparks main weapons Kristi Toliver, Candace Parker, Alana Beard, DeLisha Milton- Jones and Nneka Ogwumike were struggling on offense, their defense kept them in games, as well as help them come from behind to win games.

Los Angeles Sparks' Candace Parker and Minnesota Lynx's
#23 Maya Moore. Photo by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports.

Both Candace Parker and Maya Moore know that the spot light will be on them, and that their team mates must understand that keeping the turn overs down, every loose ball, every rebound, every free throw is huge in the playoffs. The stage has been set, game time is just a day away, and the truth will be known, which team will have 1-0 advantage  in the Western Conference Finals. Will Candace Parker show why she is the premiere superstar in the WNBA? Will Alana Beard and Kristi Toliver show why they are one of the best back court tandems, or will Maya Moore prove that she is the real deal, and lead her team to a 1-0 lead in the WNBA Western Conference Finals? All photos are by Eric Wade/T.G.Sports and EW Gems Images.