Chelsea Gray lifts Los Angeles Sparks to win over Minnesota Lynx
Sunday 9 June 2019 12:50, UK
Riquna Williams scored 25 points and Chelsea Gray added 21 as the Los Angeles Sparks edged the Minnesota Lynx 89-85 on Saturday night.
The Sparks' road victory spoiled a special day for their rivals, who retired the jersey of Minnesota native and star Lindsay Whalen.
Gray capped her string of eight-straight points in the fourth quarter with a shot-clock beating five-footer off an inbounds play with 8.5 seconds remaining to give the Sparks an 87-83 lead.
Gray put up a tough 10-foot shot with the clock winding down and missed the rim, but the ball went off a Minnesota player. On the inbounds, Gray set a screen on the wing then rolled toward inbounder Tierra Ruffin-Pratt. Gray took the pass, dribbled once to get inside the lane then stepped back and knocked down the short shot.
Sylvia Fowles, who had 20 points to surpass 5,000 for her career, scored with 2.1 seconds left and the Lynx fouled Gray in the backcourt with 1.2 to play. After Gray made a free throw, officials were told it was only a fourth team foul for Minnesota, so Los Angeles inbounded the ball again.
Williams had her first double-figure game of the season and clinched the win with two free throws with 0.1 second to go.
It was a typical intense game between the teams that split when facing off for WNBA titles in 2016 and 2017.
Los Angeles led most of the way but every time the Lynx surged back. It was tied at 17 after one quarter and the Sparks led 44-39 at the half. Minnesota cut it to one entering the fourth quarter.
Ruffin-Pratt opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer and Marina Mabrey had a lay-up for a 72-66 lead. Gray pushed the lead to 81-71 just past the midway point of the fourth quarter but rookie Napheesa Collier scored five quick points and Danielle Robinson followed with a lay-up to cut the deficit to three.
Lexie Brown's three-pointer at 1:11 made it 83-82 but Gray answered with a step-back jumper. Collier made a free throw with 33.4 to go to cut LA's lead to 85-83.
Ruffin-Pratt had 17 points and Chiney Ogwumike had 14 and split 18 rebounds with her sister Nneka.
Brown led Minnesota with 21 points and Collier had 18. Fowles also had 13 rebounds and is the fifth WNBA player with 5,000 points and 3,000 rebounds.
