Minnesota Out Plays Sparks in 94-77 Victory Game 1 Western Conference Finals

Story by L.T.Willis

Los Angeles Sparks'#3 Candace Parker scored 25 points and had 11 rebounds in
Game 1 of The WNBA Western Conference Finals in a 94-77 loss to The Minnesota
Lynx. Photo by Stacy Bengs/AP.

Game 1of the WNBA Western Conference Finals the Minnesota Lynx was hosting the Los Angeles Sparks, and i wonder which team would win the mental toughness, and play the best defense. Well Minnesota answer that question as the beat the Sparks 94-77. Basketball is all mental as i said in another article, too have the mind to get every loose ball, every rebound, commit the least turnovers, and play defense would win Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The Sparks had a week of rest to heal if their was any one injured, and should have been fresher. Minnesota had just played two nights ago against Seattle and came out with great passion and desire.

The Sparks led 15-10 in the first quarter and after that, the dam broke lose. It seem that the Lynx were poses as  Rebekkah Brunson was a beast, not only out hustle,out rebounded, but every loose ball she went flying after it. The biggest story is that Maya Moore and the rest of her team mates showed up for the game, but Candace Parker was the only one on the Sparks that showed up for the first three quarters of the game. Kristi Toliver in The Western Conference Semi Finals against the The San Antonio Silver Stars in two games scored twenty nine points and twenty three points, in the first half against Minnesota she only scored  two points.

Now coaching was part of the victory for the Lynx as they double up Kristi Toliver on defense up high and took the ball out of her hand, and force the Sparks into turn overs, instead of letting Alana Beard bring the ball up the court and let Kristi shoot off of screens, and back door picks to free her up on the baseline, or on top of the key.You have to credit  Minnesota's head coach Cheryl Reeve for that defensive move. The down hill battle for the Sparks came in the second quarter as the Lynx outscore them 32-16 and took a 48-13 half time lead.

Minnesota Lynx's #23 Maya Moore and Los Angeles Sparks' #8 DeLisha-Milton Jones
battling for a rebound. Photo by Stacy Bengs/AP.

Minnesota just destroy the Sparks on both sides of the boards in the first half." We just kept going. We never gave in. We knew that this was going to be key for this game, to limit their second chance points. They crash the boards pretty good," Brunson said. We really lock in.We focus in.We did a great job." Alana Beard had a solid night as she scored 16 points, but the damage was being done. No production from rookie sensation Nneka Ogwumike and Kristi Toliver normally triggers the offense for other  team mates on the Sparks was a non factor. The Minnesota Lynx had a 24 point lead in the third quarter, when Candace Parker begin  working down low with success.

She scored eight points t0 sparks a 16-5 run to help the Sparks move closer 65-53 late in the third quarter."This team didn't wait for us to wake up,Parker said. For three fourths of the game we laid down and took it." The Sparks defense for a moment was looking great as they erase a 24 point deficit to 10 points as the Sparks trail 73-63 late in the fourth quarter. May Moore wouldn't let her team mated down as she was 5 for 5 in the fourth quarter and the Minnesota defeated the Sparks 94-77 in Game 1 of The Western Conference Finals.

" Maya Moore was tremendous. She hit back-breaking shots," Ross said."She wants the ball and knows what to do with it when she gets it." We did not answer or match their physicality and we paid for it."Kristi Toliver finish the game with just 12 points and will have to have a great game along with DeLisha Milton-Jones, Nneka Ogwumike, Alana Beard and the other team mates on the bench too tie the series 1-1 and force a Game 3 back in Minnesota. Maya Moore scored 20 points ,Seimone Augustus 16 points, 7 assist and 4 steals, and Rebekkah Brunson 14 points and 10 rebounds. Candace Parker finish with 25 points and 11 rebounds.

Minnesota Lynx's #32 Rebekkah Brunson was a major factor in
 beating The Los Angeles Sparks 94-77 in Game 1 of The Western
Conference Finals.

Coach Ross and her coaching staff will have to figure out how to get Kristi Toliver and the other players on the bench more involve in the game and don't depend on the starters so much for productions, and do a much better job rebounding. The mental chess game  has begun and Minnesota is up 1-0 on the Sparks. Coach Ross bench Toliver for a long time in the third quarter and hopes this will help grow as a player as well. "One thing about Kristi is that she"ll come back stronger in the next game," Parker said." Well on Sunday it's now or never for the Sparks to get back into the series. All Photos are by Stacy Bengs/AP.