LOS ANGELES (AP) — Natisha Hiedeman came off the bench to score 18 points, Napheesa Collier added 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Los Angeles Sparks 91-82 on Thursday.
Collier made a step-back jumper in the lane with 1.7 seconds left in the first half to give Minnesota a 50-40 lead. The Lynx bench scored 30 points in the first half, led by Hiedeman’s 16 on 6-of-9 shooting.
Minnesota dominated the third quarter by shooting 56.5% (13 of 23) from the floor and outscored Los Angeles 30-19.
Collier’s basket with 44 seconds remaining in the third gave the Lynx a 27-point lead at 80-53. But the Sparks scored the final six points of the third and the opening 11 points of the fourth to close within 80-70.
The Lynx kept a double-digit lead in the fourth until Emma Cannon’s 3-pointer with 45 seconds remaining.
MYSTICS 70, ACES 68
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — Brittney Sykes scored 18 points, Shakira Austin had 16 points and eight rebounds, and Washington closed on a 12-2 run to beat short-handed Las Vegas.
Jewell Loyd led Las Vegas (9-11) with 20 points while Chelsea Gray added 13.
Washington trailed 66-58 with 3:45 remaining.
Austin grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back with 39.8 seconds left to play to give Washington its first lead, 69-68, since it was 15-13 in the first quarter.
Las Vegas had three chances to take the lead at the other end but came up empty.
Sykes was fouled with 4.3 seconds left and made a free throw for a two-point lead. After a timeout to advance to midcourt, Jackie Young took an inbounds pass at the top of the key and drove into the lane to attempt a layup, but Austin provided some defensive help under the basket and the ball rolled off the rim.
The Associated Press
