Lynx at a glance: The Lynx (14-14) started a four-game road trip Monday with a bad loss. Los Angeles routed Minnesota 82-58. The Lynx were held to a season low in points, shot 33 percent from the field, and were outscored 20-1 in a seven-minute stretch of the third quarter. A victory would have enabled the Lynx to close within one game of the third-place Sparks (18-12). But the Lynx still are only 1 1/2 games behind fourth-place Sacramento, which holds the fourth and final playoff spot, and they play the Monarchs on Sunday before coming home for two games. Olympian Seimone Augustus has scored 12 and 13 points in her past two games.

Mercury at a glance: After winning the WNBA title last season, Phoenix (12-16) is in last place in the Western Conference. Diana Taurasi averages a 23.5 points and Cappie Pondexter 21.6. Those two Olympic guards are 1-2 in the league in scoring for the highest-scoring team (88 ppg). Trouble is, Phoenix's defense gives up 88.9 points per game, the most in the WNBA. The Lynx beat the Mercury 94-83 on May 31. Phoenix, 0-2 since the Olympic break, lost 6-4 starting center Tangela Smith to knee surgery last month.

ROMAN AUGUSTOVIZ