Sparks vs Lynx Odds: Struggling Teams Look for Post-All-Star Surge

Sparks Favored Favored in Battle of Shorthanded Teams

Injuries have derailed both the Los Angeles Sparks and Minnesota Lynx. As of this Thursday, the teams are ninth and seventh in the standings with losing records. But the WNBA playoffs are not out of reach. Either can overcome their absences and go on a run. This is their fourth and final meeting and the Sparks vs Lynx odds slightly favor Los Angeles to snap its skid against Minnesota.

Can Things Only Go Up for Sparks?

Losers of six straight, the sky could be falling on the Sparks. Despite the heroics of Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles can’t buy a win. But maybe the All-Star break is what this team needed to collect itself and go on a bit of a surge. Still, the team will be without Nneka’s sister, forward-center Chiney Ogwumike and guard Layshia Clarendon.

“The hard thing for me now is to have to be patient,” Sparks head coach Curt Miller said. “We’ve got to find that chemistry with them again.”

On the positive WNBA news, Clarendon and Lexie Brown are back in practice. Brown has been upgraded to “questionable” for this game against Minnesota.

The 5’9” guard missed over 10 games and has been out with an illness. She’s been a key figure in the backcourt and is the team’s top 3-point marksman as she hits over 42% of her 5.6 attempts per game. She is also the second-leading scorer on the team with 13.3 points.

Brown’s return is likely why the team is favored by the Sparks vs Lynx odds. Los Angeles lost all three meetings to Minnesota this season. The Sparks are also just 1-9 on both the moneyline and point spread in its last 10 games against Minnesota. As a silver lining, this one victory did come in the Target Center last season.

Still, Los Angeles will also have to improve on its 2-7 record as a visitor. Its last win came in Dallas where Ogwumike combined with Dearica Hamby and Jordin Canada scored 58 of the team’s 79 points. While Ogwumike will likely drop 20+ points again, the onus is on Hamby and Canada to match her production.

Collier’s All-Time Great Season Lost With Lynx

The Lynx are also feeling the adverse effects of having a good chunk of your roster on the sidelines. Starters Jessica Shepard and Tiffany Mitchell are out with injuries. The team is 10th in the WNBA in net rating and had it not been Napheesa Collier, this team might be in the bottom.

The three-time All-Star is having one heck of a season and has become one of the best WNBA players. She’s posting career-highs in scoring (21.9 points) and rebounds (7.8) while shooting 48.8% from the field. Collier has already scored 30+ points in five games and the Lynx won three of them. In the WNBA All-Star game, she dropped 20.

Collier, who Minnesota drafted in 2019 with the sixth overall pick, has embraced the role of franchise player. It is big shoes to fill as Collier joined a team that won four championships as all-time greats like Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles passing the torch to her.

“I feel like [head coach] Cheryl [Reeve] and Syl [Sylvia Fowles] were kind of preparing me since I was a rookie,” Collier said in regards to being the team’s new star. “I became a captain pretty early. Syl knew she was retiring soon, so they were [getting ready] to pass that baton.” I’m really trying to be the best captain and teammate I can be.”

The Sparks vs Lynx odds are against the Lynx in this matchup. And it’s not the only odds they have to overcome as they look to salvage their season.
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