Chelsea Gray scored 26 points, helping the Los Angeles Sparks beat the defending champion Minnesota Lynx 75-68 on Tuesday night to advance to the second round of the WNBA playoffs.
It was the fourth straight year Los Angeles and Minnesota have met in an elimination playoff game — with each team winning the past two WNBA championships. The Lynx hadn’t been eliminated in the first round since 2004.
Sylvia Fowles had 18 points and 12 rebounds for her 21st playoff double-double for seventh-seeded Minnesota (18-17). Lindsay Whalen, who announced her retirement earlier this season, scored nine points in her final game.
