7:00 p.m., Target Center
Where To Watch: NBA TV
Where To Listen: 106.1 BOB FM
You may be thinking to yourself, ‘hey, I feel like I just saw this scouting report on Monday.’ Well, I’m happy to say that you are correct (except the article will be completely different).
The Minnesota Lynx will face the Los Angeles Sparks for a second straight game on Friday night after pulling out the ‘W’ in their epic ‘battle of the unbeatens‘ matchup just three days ago.
The rematch between these two stacked squads will be a must-watch as not only is it Wild West Night at the Target Center, but the Sparks will be looking for revenge after the Lynx just handed them their first loss of the season.
Folks, it’s Friday, so make a nice dinner, sit back, relax, flick on NBA TV and prepare yourself for a good old fashion shootout.
While preparing your delicious meal and talking about tonight’s matchup, make sure to consider these important tidbits before tuning into the action:
– Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike combined for only five made field-goals in their game on Tuesday night. Look for these two high-motor players to come out firing and looking to improve from their previous performance.
– Minnesota outmuscled Los Angeles in their last game, out-rebounding the Sparks by 13 thanks to Rebekkah Brunson and Sylvia Fowles hauling in 20 total boards. If the Lynx want to come out victorious again, they will need to continue doing what they’ve been able to do all season, box out their opponent and be tenacious on the offensive glass.
“We are an older team so we have to utilize our bench a little more, which means some of the rookie players may get an opportunity to play, but when we go out and play we just have to play hard,” Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve said after Tuesday’s game. “We are back at home and we have won every game at home…our crowd will give us energy.”
– With Maya Moore suffering an apparent upper leg injury near the end of their game on Tuesday, the bench will need to keep up their high energy as they will most likely be relied on a little more than usual. Providing 26 points total as a unit in their last matchup against the Sparks, Minnesota’s bench play has been a huge reason why the defending WNBA Champions are still undefeated.
“Just pushing forward, I believe we were down seven at one point and we had that mentality of coming together and never giving up when they went on a great run,” Seimone Augustus said. “We had to break a play to make a play and that is what the theme is going to be on Friday.”