The WNBA was at its best on Sunday with a three-game slate delivering tons of action for basketball fans. The Minnesota Lynx faced off against the Indiana Fever in a matchup of two perennial All-Stars in Candice Dupree and Maya Moore. The Dallas Wings and Los Angeles Sparks went head to head, and Kristi Toliver took over as the Washington Mystics survived the Phoenix Mercury.
3 winners from Sunday’s WNBA showcase
It was a big night for underdogs in the WNBA.
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
Here are a few winners from Sunday’s action in case you missed it:
Any fan watching Dupree and Moore face off:
The Fever handed the Lynx just their third loss of the entire season and snapped a seven-game win streak for Minnesota. The game was highlighted by a Dupree-Moore duel that went right down to the wire in the fourth quarter. Dupree had a career night, but it took a last-second putback from Erlana Larkins to seal a win for the Fever, 84-82.
Dupree torched the Lynx from all over the floor, pouring in 31 points on 15-of-22 shooting. It was a season-high on a career shooting night for the Fever guard who just seemed unstoppable against the defense.
But Moore didn’t go down without a fight. She scored 28 points on 50 percent shooting and kept the Lynx in the game despite a barrage from her opponent.
The Lynx have not been able to win a regular-season game in Indianapolis since May of 2007. No matter how good their record, the Fever are always a tough matchup for this Minnesota team.
Glory Johnson and the Wings getting a huge win over the Sparks
Skylar Diggins-Smith might be the name that pops up, but it was Glory Johnson’s 23 points and 13 rebounds on Sunday that pushed the Dallas Wings to an 85-79 win over the second-best team in the league: the Los Angeles Sparks.
The 18-7 Sparks needed every bit of Johnson’s production against a 13-14 Wings squad that watched Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike score 21 points apiece. This was a huge win for the Wings as they are fighting for a playoff spot.
Kristi Toliver carrying the Mercury over the Mystics
It was Toliver’s night to shine, as she tallied 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting to lead the Mystics to an 85-80 win over the Mercury. Toliver came up big down the stretch, scoring seven of Washington’s last 11 points, including a clutch step-back jumper to give the Mystics a three-point lead with 13 seconds left.
Sunday’s WNBA Scores
Washington Mystics 85, Phoenix Mercury 80
The Mystics now have a two game lead over the Mercury for the fourth seed in the WNBA Playoffs. They also play each of their next three games at home, since this was their first home game since the All-Star Break ended.
Dallas Wings 85, Los Angeles Sparks 79
Any former competitor, from any walk of life, will know this to be true: It all depends on who wants it more. It doesn’t matter what team has the “better” star player or who has the prestigious pedigree. What matters most is who steps on the floor with the mindset to win, who steps up to the challenge, and who shows up to play.
It was obvious tonight that the Los Angeles Sparks were not prepared for the force that was the Dallas Wings.
Indiana Fever 84, Minnesota Lynx 82
Something about the Minnesota Lynx brings out the best in the Indiana Fever. Familiar foes of the past, these two teams met in both the 2012 and 2015 WNBA Finals. Yet, Indiana’s five-game losing streak and 10 losses out of its last 11 games entering the night suggested that the rivalry was dead, at least on paper.
