MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- For DeLisha Milton, the finish mattered much
more than the start.
|  | | Los Angeles' Tameka Dixon, center, celebrates with teammates after the Sparks' late run beat Minneosta. |
Milton's layup with 1:46 to play gave the Los Angeles Sparks
their first lead of the second half and provided the final margin
of victory in a 62-60 victory over the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday
night.
Milton, who picked up her fourth foul early in the second half,
scored the game's final seven points, and the Sparks ended the game
on a 12-3 run to remain unbeaten at 5-0.
"We expect the game to be physical," Milton said. "We know
there will be plenty of fouls, because Minnesota is a feisty team
at both ends of the floor."
Minnesota's Betty Lennox missed a running one-hander with three seconds left, and the rebound bounced away from the basket.
Katie Smith scored 16 of her 24 points in the second half for
Minnesota (1-2).
Milton finished with 13 points. Lisa Leslie led Los Angeles with
17 points and 16 rebounds.
Minnesota led by as many as 10 points in the second half, when
Smith's 3-pointer with 12:49 to play gave the Lynx a 45-35 lead.
The Sparks rallied to tie the score at 50-50 when Leslie
followed a teammate's miss with 8:42 to play. The Lynx then scored
the next seven points, but Los Angeles rallied when Milton hit a
layup and a 3-pointer to tie the score at 60-60.
"I thought we had the game in control," Smith said. "But we
didn't make plays down the stretch at either end of the court.
Sometimes we just panic. Our biggest challenge is mental
toughness."
Minnesota's last field goal was Lennox's 3-pointer with 5:25 to
play.
"The game changed when we went to a zone defense," Milton
said. "Katie Smith was a one-person show. We needed to do
something to make other people score."
The Lynx held the Sparks to one field goal over a 10-minute
stretch of the first half, but led only 32-30 at halftime. Lennox
scored nine of her 14 points before intermission for Minnesota.
"I'm sick and tired of coming up short," Lennox said. "We've
got to find it in our heart to pull one of these games out." Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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