Latest news with #BridgetCarleton
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
After fast start, Sparks fall to league-leading Lynx at home
Sparks wing Rae Burrell scores on a jumper over the Lynx's Bridget Carleton during the first half Thursday at Arena. (Harry How / Getty Images) For nearly four magical minutes in the first quarter, an upset of the WNBA's best team seemed scarily possible. What seemed scarier, perhaps, was that the team doing the damage spent most of the season fighting to crawl out of the league's cellar. Advertisement For those 3 minutes and 59 seconds, the Sparks rattled off 16 consecutive points as Arena transformed into both a basketball spectacle and animated musical. The children in nearly every section of the Sparks' home smacked their thundersticks like war drums as tiny voices belted out lyrics to songs from "SpongeBob SquarePants", "Moana" and "Frozen". It was a mini-Disneyland inside the Sparks' building on Kids Day, the entire bowl pulsing with shrieks, slaps and sugar highs. For a fleeting stretch, it felt like an exhilarating return to the mid-2010s. Yet just as quickly as the magic appeared, it vanished. So suddenly, and so drastically, the newest 'happiest place on earth' lost its shimmer, replaced by cross-court turnovers, limited looks at the rim and the deflation of momentum as the Lynx (18-3) steamrolled to a 91-82 victory over the Sparks (6-14) on Thursday afternoon. What had been a 16-0 run to build an 18-7 lead in the first quarter turned out to be the only bright spot amid an otherwise sore 36 minutes. Not just for the players, but for the children with their thundersticks that had less and less reason to make noise. Advertisement After Lynx guard Alanna Smith propelled her team to an early 7-2 advantage with a three-pointer and a layup — exhibiting the pace and precision of a team that's lost only three games all season — the momentum became all purple and yellow. Spurred on by a three-point barrage from guards Kelsey Plum and Julie Allemand as well as forward Rickea Jackson, the Sparks racked up 16 straight points — keeping All-Star captain Napheesa Collier and her Lynx teammates scoreless. . But the lopsided scoreboard had a short lifespan. What looked like a cushion turned into a trap. The Sparks eased up and the Lynx pounced, trimming their deficit to four by the end of the first quarter as sloppiness and defensive lapses by L.A. mounted. Advertisement The Lynx erased "deficit" from their dictionary — and just about everything from the Sparks' playbook. Fueled by nine L.A. turnovers in the second quarter, Minnesota made 11 baskets — nearly as many as the Sparks had shot attempts for a 50-40 halftime lead. The Lynx outscored the Sparks 30-19 in the third quarter to take a commanding 80-59 lead that proved insurmountable. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Newsweek
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
How to Watch Minnesota Lynx vs Los Angeles Sparks: Live Stream WNBA, TV Channel
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The WNBA is back on Thursday afternoon when the red-hot Minnesota Lynx (17–3) take on the struggling Los Angeles Sparks (6–13) at 3:00 p.m. ET at Arena in Los Angeles. Courtney Williams #10 of the Minnesota Lynx dribbles up the court against Bridget Carleton #6 of the Minnesota Lynx in the third quarter at Target Center on June 21, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Courtney Williams #10 of the Minnesota Lynx dribbles up the court against Bridget Carleton #6 of the Minnesota Lynx in the third quarter at Target Center on June 21, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo byHow to Watch Lynx vs Sparks Date: Wednesday, July 10, 2025 Time: 3:00 PM ET Channel: FanDuel Sports Network Stream: Fubo (TRY FOR FREE) The Lynx have been nothing short of dominant this season, boasting the league's best record and one of the most balanced attacks in the WNBA. They enter Thursday's matchup coming off a rare loss to the Phoenix Mercury, which snapped a three-game win streak. Minnesota has won all three meetings against the Sparks this season, with an average margin of victory of nearly 18 points. Led by Napheesa Collier, who's having an MVP-caliber year with 24.3 points and 8 rebounds per game, the Lynx also features key contributions from Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams, both averaging in double figures. Minnesota ranks among the league leaders in both offensive and defensive efficiency, averaging 84.5 points per game while allowing just 74.3, making them a threat on both ends of the court. The Sparks have had a bumpy season. While they've shown flashes of brilliance, particularly through Kelsey Plum, who's averaging over 20 points and 5 assists per game, consistency has been an issue. Los Angeles is currently allowing 86.9 points per game, one of the highest marks in the league, and they've struggled to contain teams with deep backcourts and strong perimeter shooting, like Minnesota. Veteran forward Dearica Hamby (17 PPG, 7.6 RPG) remains a steady presence in the paint, and Azurá Stevens adds additional size and scoring versatility. If the Sparks want to pull off the upset, they'll need a complete team effort and a big night from their stars. This is not a nationally televised game, but Fubo still offers local coverage of the event through FanDuel Sports. Live stream Lynx vs Sparks on FanDuel Sports for free with Fubo: Start your subscription now! Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.
