Lynx Survive Sparks Rally to Even 2017 WNBA Finals at 1-1

The WNBA Finals is now a best-of-three battle after the Minnesota Lynx evened the series at one game apiece during Tuesday's Game 2 at the University of Minnesota's Williams Arena.

The Lynx built a 20-point lead in the third quarter and held on for dear life and a 70-68 victory over the defending champion Los Angeles Sparks. Los Angeles had an opportunity to tie or win on its final possession, but Chelsea Gray turned it over with the game hanging in the balance.

It was a turnaround for Gray, who played the hero in Game 1 with a winning shot after the Sparks let an early 28-2 lead slip away. Minnesota stole Los Angeles' formula of prevailing in dramatic fashion after watching a significant advantage vanish down the stretch during Tuesday's contest.

Candace Parker's free throws with 33 seconds remaining were the final points before a series of errors defined the ending.

Maya Moore missed a critical jumper for the Lynx, the Sparks committed an inexplicable five-second violation and Minnesota turned it over on the ensuing inbounds pass. That gave Los Angeles its final chance, but Gray's turnover came before it could even launch a shot.

All five starters scored in double figures for Minnesota in the win. Lindsay Whalen tallied a team-high 14 points and Moore added 13, but it was Sylvia Fowles who turned heads with 13 points and 17 rebounds. The broadcast noted the 17 boards were a record for the WNBA Finals.

Nneka Ogwumike notched a double-double for the Sparks with 11 points and 13 rebounds, while Parker (17 points) and Gray (15 points) spearheaded the scoring. While the comeback was impressive, the efforts were ultimately wasted by the late-game miscues, meaning Los Angeles will be tasked with seizing momentum back at home.

It didn't look like the ending would even matter when the Lynx dominated the start, finishing the first quarter with a 28-10 advantage. The opening 10 minutes were largely the Whalen show as she dictated the pace with her ball-handling and passing and mixed in some outside shooting with seven quick points.

Minnesota's swarming defense also forced six first-quarter turnovers—three from Parker—and notched four blocks.

The deficit wasn't the only early problem for the Sparks, as the ESPN broadcast showed Parker limping after she turned her ankle during pregame warm-ups. The setback was particularly notable because she didn't score a single point in the first half.

Even with Parker struggling, Los Angeles answered Minnesota's fast start with a 12-2 run in the second quarter. The momentum was short-lived, though, as Fowles spearheaded the Lynx's balanced attack with a double-double before intermission on the way to a 45-26 halftime lead.

The only concern at that point for Minnesota was Moore's three early fouls, but they didn't stop her from putting an end to Los Angeles' temporary spurt:

The second half took on a theme of the Lynx attempting to keep the Sparks at bay, especially with their star battling foul trouble. Parker had other ideas as she found her touch with eight points in the third quarter and helped her team trim a 20-point deficit to a mere 10 at 60-50 heading into the fourth.

Los Angeles' advantage largely came down to its former league MVP (Parker in 2012-13) being on the floor while Minnesota's former MVP (Moore in 2013-14) wasn't for an extended stretch, and the game was firmly in doubt when the Sparks pulled within single digits in the final quarter.

The visitors wouldn't go away even after Moore returned, and Parker showed off her passing skills when defenders collapsed on her as a scorer:

Parker's resurgence led Los Angeles' comeback and should give her more confidence in the upcoming contests, but she didn't quite have enough to overcome the home team.

The best-of-five series shifts back to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4, which take place on Friday and Sunday, respectively. A potential and decisive Game 5 would be back in Minnesota on Wednesday, Oct. 4.