Star Lynx forward Maya Moore was named the WNBA's player of the month for August today, just hours before the Lynx meet the L.A. Sparks at Target Center in a game with big Western Conference implications.

It was Moore's first player of the month award, and it is well-deserved. She finished the month averaging 21.6 points per game on 56.7 percent shooting. She had a league-high 30 three-pointers in the month -- on 50 percent shooting from behind the arc -- as the Lynx went 8-4.

Moore's highlights from the month:

--A career-high 35 points on 15-for-21 shooting against Indiana Aug. 24, the most points scored in a WNBA game this season.

--A 30-point performance Aug. 31 vs. Seattle.

--She hit six three-pointers on the way to 28 points vs. New York Aug. 18.

--She had 24 points, four steals and two blocks vs. Washington Aug. 8.

Moore is the fourth Lynx player to win the award. The others: Lindsay Whalen (August 2011), Seimone Augustus (July 2011) and Rebekkah Brunson (June 2011).

Entering tonight's game, Moore is third in the league in scoring (18.6), three-point percentage (45.7) and has had 13 games with 20 or more points.