Lynx sweep into WNBA Finals

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Candace Parker banked in a 3-pointer from 30 feet, giving the Sparks a two-point lead late and sending their fans into a tizzy.

“I said to myself, ‘We’re OK, we have time,’” Minnesota’s Maya Moore said. “We don’t get too high, we don’t get too low.”

The Lynx got where they wanted in the end, claiming an 80-79 victory for a 2-0 sweep of the Western Conference finals.

“WNBA finals, here we come,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said.

Seimone Augustus scored 21 points, Moore added 20 and Lindsay Whalen 17 for the Lynx, who trailed by 10 points early in the fourth and came in with a 4-21 record in Los Angeles.

Reserve Monica Wright answered Parker’s theatrics with a 3-pointer to put the Lynx back in front, 80-79. She singlehandedly outscored the Sparks’ bench, 8-0.

“It was the perfect three,” Moore said. “I screamed, double fist-pumped and said, ‘Yes, Monica.’”

Alana Beard missed a 16-footer at the final buzzer for the Sparks as Parker pulled her jersey over her face in anguish.

“I really wanted this championship,” said Parker, who in five seasons has yet to make the WNBA finals. “It hurt after we lost because I think this was a championship team, but the ball didn’t fall our way.”

The Lynx, who won the series opener by 16 points, await the Eastern champion, either Connecticut or Indiana.

Tags: wnba, sports, basketball, lynx