For a while it looked like the Lynx were going to run away from the visiting Los Angeles Sparks Thursday at Target Center, thanks to an almost perfect second quarter.
For much of the second half it looked like the Lynx would suffer a rather monumental collapse, thanks to a Sparks surge.
In a game with mammoth momentum swings, the Lynx (10-12) used a 12-2 run over the final 3 minutes and 39 seconds of the game to escape with a 73-70 victory over L.A.
Whew.
This strong finish — which was led, of course, by Napheesa Collier — came after the Lynx had been outscored 31-6 over a 10-plus minute stretch that put the Sparks up 68-61 on Jordin Canada’s basket with 4:07 left in the game.
Enter Collier.
She scored. After a stop, she scored again, then was fouled but missed the free throw. After a Sparks miss, Collier scored again and it was a one-point game.
Out of a timeout Diamond Miller hit two free throws with 2:21 left. Moments later Lindsay Allen hit two of her own with 1:50 left to push the Lynx run to 10-0. After another Sparks miss, Collier scored to put the Lynx up 5, wrapping up the game and pushing the run to 12 points.
Collier scored 10 of her 22 points in the fourth quarter. Rookie Dorka Juhász scored 16 points with 10 rebounds. Miller had 13 points.
Los Angeles was led by Nneka Ogwumike, who scored 19 points. But her three-pointer at the end didn’t fall, preserving the Lynx victory.
The Lynx looked unbeatable during a spectacular second quarter that saw them build a lead as big as 20.
When the second quarter started, the Lynx were down a point. When it ended they were up 17.
In between: The Lynx opened the second quarter 12-0 led mainly by reserves. That kick-started a 28-10 quarter in which the Lynx shot 11-for-16, made four of five three-pointers, got 10 points, three rebounds and two assists from rookie Juhász and seven points on 3-for-3 shooting by Nikolina Milic.
Miller started the second quarter with a basket, then she fed Juhász for a three, and the Lynx were off. Milic scored on three straight possessions, including a three that put the Lynx up 11. The Lynx would lead by as many as 20 in the half.
The Lynx were still up 18 when Miller scored with 4:18 left in the third quarter.
Then: disaster.
A slew of Lynx turnovers got the Sparks (7-13) going and they were off on an 18-2 run to end the quarter, cutting what had once been a 20-point lead to just two entering the fourth. When Dearica Hamby scored to start the fourth quarter the Sparks, on a 20-2 run, had tied the game.
And it only got worse to start the fourth, before Collier pushed the team back into the game.
But, in the end: A much-needed win, ending a three-game losing streak for the Lynx (10-12), who continue a pattern of struggling against teams ahead of them in the standings while dominating those below. Tuesday’s loss in Atlanta dropped Minnesota 1-9 vs. teams above them. Thursday’s win pushed the Lynx to 9-3 against teams below them, including nine straight. They swept the season series against the Sparks.