Nicky Anosike, who started at center for the Lynx from 2008 to 2010, is a member of the Los Angeles Sparks now. But she won't get the chance to play against her old team on Thursday night at Target Center.

"She is a little banged-up right now," new LA coach Carol Ross said. "She is day-to-day."

Anosike also missed LA's first two games.

"I love her" as a player, Ross said. "She has a real defensive presence. She is very good in the locker room. She is a beast on the boards. And those are things that win a lot of ball games."

Anosike has averaged 9.6 points and 7.1 rebounds in her four-year WNBA career.

The Lynx traded Anosike to Washington on April 9, 2011 for the Mystics first-round pick in the 2012 WNBA draft. After Washington missed the playoffs, that first-round pick turned into the third overall pick in the draft this year. The Lynx used it to take 6-2 forward Devereaux Peters.

* Lynx forward Amber Harris, who sprained her left ankle on May 10 in the team's first exhibition game, is close to being ready to play again. But she won't play either. She participated in Thursday's morning shootout and also in her team's pregame warm-ups. Now the team trainers will see how her ankle responds the next day.