Los Angeles (August 21, 2018) – The Sparks rode a monster shooting performance from Chelsea Gray and Riquna Williams to earn a 75-68 victory over the Minnesota Lynx in the first-round of the WNBA playoffs. With the Sparks leading 4-3 early in the first, Cecilia Zandalisini drained a corner three to give Minnesota the lead (7:54).

Almost three minutes later, Lindsay Whalen, who played her final WNBA game after announcing her retirement last week, connected on a transition layup with 5:04 to play. Chelsea Gray responded on the next possession with a long ball, sending the teams into a timeout with the Lynx ahead 8-7. Consecutive buckets from Nneka Ogwumike and Essence Carson gave Los Angeles an 11-8 advantage (2:57). With Los Angeles up three, Sylvia Fowles posted her own 6-2 run to send Minnesota into the second quarter with a 16-15 lead.

The Lynx opened the frame with an 12-4 run, pushing Minnesota’s lead to 28-19 at the 6:40 mark. A 6-2 solo run from Ogwumike pulled the Sparks to within seven (3:45), and a cutting layup from Jantel Lavender forced Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve to call timeout with the score 34-29. The Sparks continued to surge, scoring seven straight out of the stoppage to take the 36-34 lead (1:36). Free throws from Gray with 1.6 seconds left sent the Sparks into the locker room leading 40- 37. Ogwumike (16) and Gray (14) combined for 30 of the Sparks’ 40 first-half points. Moore led the Lynx with nine points and three assists.

Riquna Williams got the Sparks on the board first in the third quarter, converting a transition layup following a steal from Ogwumike. With Los Angeles up five, Gray and Williams each hit two 3-pointers to highlight a 12-4 run that pushed the Sparks’ lead to 54-41 with 4:59 to play in the third. After a quick 9-1 run from Minnesota to end the quarter, the Spark’s lead had dwindled six (58-52) going into the fourth quarter.

After the teams exchanged baskets to open the final frame, Whalen drained a three to pull the Lynx to within three at the 7:22 mark (62-59). With the score 66-63, Gray hit an 18-foot pull-up jumper, but Temi Fagbenle answered at the other end with a put-back to keep the deficit at three. After two missed free throws from Moore, Gray connected from the top of the key to push the lead back to five (1:36). With the Sparks up four, Moore missed a 3-point attempt to give the ball back to Los Angeles with 17.4 left. After an Ogwumike free throw, Williams stole the ball from Alexis Jones and iced the game away at the line, giving the Sparks the 75-68 first round victory.

Gray led the Sparks with 26 points, six assists, and five rebounds in the win. Williams added 17 points, good for a playoff career high. The duo combined to shoot 7-for-14 on 3-pointers. Ogwumike added 19 points for Los Angeles. With the win, the Sparks will take on the Washington Mystics at 3:30 p.m. PT on Thursday in the winner-take-all second round matchup.