In looking at her team's WNBA Finals matchup against Los Angeles, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve knew the two teams would be evenly matched in many ways. One set of numbers, though, stood out as something that could give the Lynx a significant edge.
In three regular-season games, the Lynx outrebounded the Sparks 105-86, including a 26-16 edge on the offensive boards. They have followed suit in the Finals, and their supremacy in Tuesday's Game 2 was a major factor in a 79-60 victory. The Lynx grabbed 46 rebounds to the Sparks' 32, and their 13 offensive rebounds helped them score 17 second-chance points.
That strength on the boards was part of an overall defensive effort that evened the best-of-five series, which resumes Friday in Los Angeles.
"They gave themselves second opportunities at some critical times," Sparks coach Brian Agler said. "That definitely played into the outcome of the game.
"When the ball was up on the glass, they went and got it. For us to win another game in this series, or win the series, we're going to have to be more competitive on the boards."
In Game 2, the Lynx held the Sparks to 60 points — tying the lowest output of the season for a team that averaged 83 points per game during the regular season. They bottled up Sparks star Nneka Ogwumike inside, limiting her to six shots, as the Lynx post players stayed in front of her and made it harder for her to receive passes. Sylvia Fowles had 15 rebounds and lifted her playoff average to 10.4 per game, while Maya Moore added 12.
Ogwumike said rebounding has been a point of emphasis for the Sparks all season. Though she thought the Sparks defense did a good job of contesting shots and limiting the Lynx's options, she noted the Lynx were able to stretch their lead through their strength on the offensive boards.
"The play isn't over until you secure the rebound," said Ogwumike, who had 12 rebounds in Game 2. "And because we weren't able to secure the rebound, it gave them a lot of second-chance points that we didn't allow in the first game, especially down the stretch."