Alexander Shun

Web Editor Associate | @alexpshun 

Minnesota Lynx (15-4) at Los Angeles Sparks (5-14) | 9:00 P.M. CT

WHERE TO WATCH: ESPN 2

WHERE TO LISTEN: 106.1 BOB FM

The Minnesota Lynx are the hottest team in the WNBA. Correction, they are absolutely sizzling.

When things are going well, they are truly going well and the Lynx can attest to that. They are currently 15-4 on the season, hold the best record in the WNBA, are riding a three-game winning streak and they are playing spectacular basketball.

Lynx forward Maya Moore continues to impress in what could easily be another MVP season for her, winning Western Conference Player of the Week honors for last week’s play and today was awarded Western Conference Player of the Month honors for the month of July. Moore has been…amazing.

Coming into tonight’s game, Moore has scored 20+ points in 11-straight games and shows no sign of slowing, especially after a 16-point fourth quarter last Saturday night against Tulsa to not only give her 20 points for the game, but more importantly, push the Lynx to a victory.

Newly-acquired center Sylvia Fowles seems to have truly found her rhythm on Saturday night as well, finishing with 19 points and six rebounds on the night and is averaging 14 points and six rebounds in her three games with Minnesota. Fowles presence has really been felt on the defensive-side of the ball with the constant deflections, altering of shots and denying penetration to the paint. Fowles has been great since joining Minnesota after the All-Star Break and will look to continue such success tonight in Los Angeles.

The Sparks are a team with a very talented roster, but constant injuries and inconsistencies in the players available have made it difficult to gain rhythm. The Sparks have their players back healthy, forward Candace Parker returned after resting the first half of the season and the difference has been phenomenal.

Despite their lone loss after the All-Star Break (to the Minnesota lynx, but we won’t brag or anything), the Sparks are riding high and enter tonight’s game on a two-game winning streak of their own, having beat a very tough Chicago Sky team and a scrappy San Antonio Stars team.

Parker has been great in the three games since her return, averaging 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while guard Kristi Toliver and forward Nneka Ogwumike have shown to be a fantastic duo themselves. Both Toliver and Ogwumike enter tonight’s game averaging over 15 points a game and have proven to cause problems for the Lynx on any given night.

Both teams are riding winning-streaks and playing well; it is going to be a great game between two great teams.

LAST MEETING

These two teams should be quite familiar with each other seeing as how they last played just under a week ago.

The Lynx were in control the whole game and cruised to an 82-76 victory over the Sparks.

It was a game of firsts for both teams. It was both team’s first game back from the All-Star Break, it was Sparks forward Candace Parker’s first game of the season, it was Lynx center Sylvia Fowles first game of the season and Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen’s first game back from an eye injury.

Parker provided the Sparks a huge boost, finishing with 12 points, seven rebounds and nine assists in the loss. Center Jantel Lavender led Los Angeles, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Fowles was efficient on offense, finishing with 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting (57 percent) and played very well defensively. Whalen showed no signs of rust at all, making acrobatic layups and pretty passes all night long, finishing with 24 points and six assists.

Forward Maya Moore led the Lynx with 27 points, seven rebounds and three steals.

KEY MATCHUP: MAYA MOORE VS. CANDACE PARKER

Moore vs. Parker again? Yes again. These are arguably the two-best players on the floor and when they are matched-up against one another, it is always going to be the match-up to watch.

Moore enters tonight’s game arguably as the leader for the MVP award this season. Having scored 20+ points in 11-straight games, won Player of the Month honors for the month of June and sitting second in the league in scoring at 21 points per game, Moore has been absolutely unstoppable as of late and will prove to be a challenge once again for Los Angeles.

As good as Moore has been, Parker has been almost as good.

In the three games since her return, Parker has averaged 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists in leading the Sparks to a 2-1 record after the All-Star Break.

Both Moore and Parker are at the top of their game and both are sure to put on quite a show tonight.

PROJECTED STARTERS

Lynx: PG – Whalen, SG – Cruz, SF – Moore, PF – Brunson, C – Fowles

Sparks: PG – Toliver, SG – Beard, SF – Parker, PF – Ogwumike, C – Lavender