An old saying in both sports and life is that it is sometimes how you finish—not necessarily how you start. The Los Angeles Sparks got off to a great start, saw a huge lead evaporate, and still finished to defeat the Minnesota Lynx in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. The final score was 85-84.
It was Chelsea Gray – and a two-point jump shot she made with two seconds to go in the game that made the difference after the Lynx managed to rally all the way from trailing 28-2 in the first quarter. Even with Gray’s shot, the game featured a quartet of lead changes in the last minute alone.
From the pass last year… to the jumper this year. @cgray209 is CLUTCH in Game 1! #WNBAFinals pic.twitter.com/jrhRRbFCeG
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 25, 2017
“All athletes dream of that moment.”@cgray209 on her #WNBAFinals Game 1 game-winner! pic.twitter.com/M0A3V9qmal
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 24, 2017
Game 1 of last year’s Lynx/Sparks Finals also concluded in a game-winner in the fourth quarter which also lifted the Sparks courtesy of Alana Beard – which Gray assisted on.
Even at the half, the Lynx were well on the comeback trail as they turned what was a 26-point deficit into only a ten-point one (43-33) at halftime.
The Sparks needed all of Gray’s 27 points as well as Odyssey Sims’ 16 points, three assists, and five rebounds, 15 points and 12 rebounds from Candace Parker, 11 points from Nneka Ogwumike, and ten points of Beard.
For Minnesota, Maya Moore concluded with 27 points, Sylvia Fowles added 22 points with 13 rebounds and Seimone Augustus had 19 points.
Game 2 is Tuesday at 8 pm. Something tells us Game 2 may very well be exciting as Game 1 was…
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
