LOS ANGELES _ Before Friday's Game 2 of the WNBA finals, standing at center court at Staples Center, Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve was asked what had to happen for the Lynx to win.
Efficient offense.
Getting good shots, and making nearly half of them. No deflected passes, low turnovers.
For the record: Very little of that happened for most of the first three quarters.
In a physical, stop-and-start game in which both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm, it was the Los Angeles Sparks who got the early lead and held of a late Lynx rally in a 75-64 victory.
The win gave the Sparks a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series and a chance to close the series out here Sunday.
Down eight entering the fourth, the Lynx got five points from Maya Moore in a 7-0 run that brought the them within a point.
But that was it. Down two with just under 5 minutes left in the game, the Lynx had three shots to try to tie it, but missed all three. It only took a few moments for the Sparks to rip off an 8-0 run capped by Chelsea Gray's 3-pointer, to push the lead back to nine. The Sparks ended the game on a 17-7 run.
The Sparks were led by Nneka Ogumike (16 points) and Odyssey Sims (16). Candace Parker had 13 points. Moore, scoreless and in foul trouble in the first half, finished with 16. Renee Montgomery had 12 points and Alexis Jones nine off the bench. Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen were held scoreless.
It was the first time in Augustus' career she has failed to score in a playoff game.
