Los Angeles Sparks @ Minnesota Lynx
Hamby scores 20 as last-place Sparks end skid with 68-51 win over postseason-bound Lynx
MINNEAPOLIS -- — Dearica Hamby scored 20 points, Rickea Jackson added 19 and the last-place Los Angeles Sparks closed the WNBA season with a 68-51 win over the playoff-bound Minnesota Lynx on Thursday night.
The Sparks (8-32) ended an eight-game losing streak and stopped Minnesota's seven-game winning streak.
The second-seeded Lynx (30-10) are home against seventh-seeded Phoenix in the best-of-three opening round on Sunday afternoon.
Kia Nurse added 12 points for the Sparks.
Resting All-Star and Olympian Napheesa Collier and 3-point sharpshooter Kayla McBride, the Lynx had their worst offensive output of the season.
No player reached double figures for the Lynx as they shot 28.6% (16 of 56) from the field and had 17 turnovers. Diamond Miller and Alissa Pili led the way with eight while Natisha Hiedeman had seven and Myisha Hines-Allen, Bridget Carleton, Alanna Smith and Courtney Williams all had six.
The Sparks took the lead early and kept it. They had a 16-point lead in the first half, but settled for a 38-30 advantage at the break.
It was 53-44 heading into the fourth quarter. Williams completed a four-point play with 7:39 remaining to pull Minnesota within 53-48 but L.A. scored the next 13 points for a 66-48 lead with under three minutes remaining. Nurse had three of her four 3-pointers in the surge and Rae Burrell added another.
The Sparks went 2-14 after the Olympic break and will have the best odds in the WNBA draft lottery.
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Matchups
Game Information
Minneapolis, MN

Referee:Roy Gulbeyan
Referee:Angelica Suffren
Referee:Clare Aubry

2024-25 Standings
| Western Conference | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 34 | 10 | .773 | - | W1 |
| Las Vegas | 30 | 14 | .682 | 4 | W16 |
| Phoenix | 27 | 17 | .614 | 7 | L3 |
| Seattle | 23 | 21 | .523 | 11 | W1 |
| Golden State | 23 | 21 | .523 | 11 | L3 |
| Los Angeles | 21 | 23 | .477 | 13 | L1 |
| Dallas | 10 | 34 | .227 | 24 | W1 |
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