Lynx Dominate Sparks with 101-78 Victory

Napheesa Collier lit up the scoreboard with 32 points, 26 of which came in a commanding first half, as the Minnesota Lynx triumphed over the Los Angeles Sparks 101-78 on Saturday.

In addition to Collier's standout performance, Courtney Williams contributed 17 points, while reserves Natisha Hiedeman and Maria Kliundikova added 14 and 11 points, respectively. This victory marked a return to form for the Lynx (10-1), who faced their first defeat of the season just days earlier against the Seattle Storm, losing 94-84.

Collier's impressive outing was her third game this season scoring over 30 points. She began the season with a high of 34 points against Dallas on May 16, followed by a 33-point performance against Connecticut.

With the game well in hand, Collier did not play in the fourth quarter, having shot an impressive 13-for-16 from the field, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.

In a remarkable display of skill, Collier outscored the entire Sparks team in the first quarter alone, hitting 7 of her 9 attempts while Los Angeles managed only 4 of 7. The Lynx established a commanding lead of 34-15 by the end of the first quarter.

By halftime, Collier had already achieved a shooting percentage of 10-for-12, while the Sparks struggled significantly, shooting just 7-for-30 overall. Minnesota's halftime score of 58-26 represented their highest-scoring half of the season.

The Sparks (4-8) saw contributions from Kelsey Plum with 20 points, Rickea Jackson with 18 points, and Emma Cannon off the bench with 14 points. Dearica Hamby also made her mark with a double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.