After a pair of weekend home wins, the Minnesota Lynx will face the Los Angeles Sparks at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night. The Lynx have won four of their last five games, while the Sparks have lost four of their last five games. This will be the first time this season that the Lynx get a look at rookies Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson both of whom have had an immediate on this new version of the Sparks.
This is a new regime for coach Curt Miller and for Sparks fans. The team lost star Nneka Ogwumike to Seattle in free agency. This is much the same way it was for coach Cheryl Reeve when Sylvia Fowles retired. These are both new teams in the process of building a new identity, with the ups and downs that go along with that process. The Lynx may be a little farther along than the Sparks.
This season’s team has gelled rather quickly, while the Sparks are still working out the kinks. Both squads have retooled with some significant firepower. Also, and the return of Lexie Brown for the Sparks will be a welcome addition.
Minnesota Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks: A Tale of Different Teams
Led by Napheesa Collier, the Minnesota Lynx came out of the gate running. Their two losses, one of which was a one-point overtime loss to Connecticut, and the other a poor showing against the Las Vegas Aces, are not indicative of their season as a whole. This is a team with solid chemistry, and while there is still work to be done, the foundation is solid.
The Sparks are still a work in progress, but with veterans like Kia Nurse, Layshia Clarendon, and Dearica Hamby to provide a foundation for the newcomers, the Sparks will, at some point, find more success. Azurá Stevens, who is still sidelined, is expected to return by June 22 to face the New York Liberty in the second game of a weekend series at Barclay Center.
west coast bound. 🌴 pic.twitter.com/hh8LgyurTh
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) June 4, 2024
What impresses me the most about this Lynx team is their ability to learn from each game right away. After the loss to Las Vegas, they came back with a 2 4-point win over the Phoenix Mercury. Rookie Alissa Pili had a breakout game, leading the Lynx with 20 points. In the win against Dallas two nights later, French import Olivia Époupa earned some significant minutes and provided energy and stability to the team as an accomplished point guard.
To those fans who had never seen Olivia play in Euroleague basketball, this was quite a surprise. To coach Cheryl Reeve, and those of us who knew of Olivia and what she was capable of, not at all. When the moment came and her number was called, Époupa more than stepped up. We’ve also seen the emergence of Cecilia Zandalasini in recent games. Perhaps she needed a few games to get her WNBA footing back, which apparently she has, much to the delight of, well, everyone.
Final Thoughts
I’ve said before that no game this season is necessarily a gimme. The Sparks will have their hands full with the defense of the Lynx. On the other hand, Brink and Jackson will be unknown quantities for Minnesota. Both have had a significant impact on Los Angeles and will require significant defensive attention.
Given Brink’s propensity for fouling, the Lynx might look to that as a way of slowing her down. But as the season progresses, Brink is adjusting to the W. She is not the same player that we saw during her Stanford days.
All in all, this has the potential to be a very exciting game. The old Sparks/Lynx rivalry may be gone, but there is no reason why these two teams can’t create a new one. That’s what makes this league fun to watch; the possibilities.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
Follow Beyond Women’s Sports for more from the world of sports.
