Candace Parker Double-Double Gives Sparks Win over Maya Moore, Lynx

The Los Angeles Sparks earned a 79-57 win over the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Candace Parker posted a double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds) in the victory, and the pair of Nneka Ogwumike and Chelsea Gray chipped in with 15 and 18 points, respectively.

Reigning WNBA MVP Sylvia Fowles had 14 points and eight rebounds as Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve rested her starters down the stretch with the game out of reach. Maya Moore played 25 minutes, scoring eight points and collecting three rebounds.

Candace Parker Edging Ahead of Sylvia Fowles in MVP Race

While Parker and Fowles didn't face off much individually, the game was effectively a battle for position in the MVP sprint between the pair. They sat third and fourth, respectively, in WNBA.com's most recent Race to the MVP.

Parker relished the stage, dominating from start to finish:

Even at 32, Parker is one of the toughest players in the WNBA to defend. She can score from every level and possesses the vision and passing ability to find open teammates when opponents try to double-team her. And that doesn't even factor in her impact both on the glass and on defense.

Thursday's game was another statement performance by the five-time All-Star.

Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart and Dallas Wings center Liz Cambage appear to be the clear MVP favorites. Parker is doing her best, though, to try to crash the party.

Lynx Offensive Struggles a Concern for Stretch Run

Entering Thursday, the Lynx were 10th in offensive rating (100.0) over their last 10 games, according to WNBA.com.

Maya Moore deserved a share of the blame, as she averaged 15.5 points per contest on 34.6 shooting during July, down from 22.2 points on 46.3 percent shooting in June.

Ultimately, the Lynx haven't had a ton of offensive support for Fowles and Moore, and that was evident Thursday night. Minnesota was 1-of-10 on three pointers:

The Sparks also did a great job of isolating Fowles inside by denying her position close to the basket and limiting her touches in the paint:

Minnesota may be too reliant on Moore and Fowles. Those two are among the best in the WNBA, and they can combine to take over games. That strategy can easily come undone against the league's top teams, though.

Better balance on offense is imperative over the rest of the regular season, especially as Minnesota looks to guarantee itself a first-round playoff bye.

Big Win Continues Jekyll-and-Hyde Season for Sparks

The Sparks have alternated wins and losses over their last eight contests. One game, Los Angeles beat the Las Vegas Aces by 21 points on the road, and the next, it lost to the last-place Indiana Fever at home.

When you've reached the WNBA Finals in each of the last two years—winning a title in 2016—it's easy to lose focus for stretches during the regular-season slog.

Despite that, the Sparks can be terrifying on both ends of the court when they're dialed in.

They shot 49.2 percent from the floor and were 8-of-16 from beyond the arc as a team. Los Angeles also had 22 assists and just nine turnovers.

On defense, the team had seven steals and effectively took Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen out of the game. Augustus had six points after averaging 14 points in her previous three outings, and Whalen had zero points and zero assists.

Although the Storm own the WNBA's best record (20-7), the Sparks may be the front-runner for the title if they can carry this form the rest of the summer.

What's Next?

The Sparks have another difficult home matchup Sunday against the Phoenix Mercury. Things don't get any easier for the Lynx, either, as they play the first-place Storm on Friday on the road before welcoming in the second-place Atlanta Dream on Sunday in Minneapolis.