Lynx win first game of season, 87-84 over Los Angeles

Here's a look at Kayla McBride's last few days:

Sunday: She helped her team win the Turkish league championship.

Very early Monday: She got on a plane in Turkey, ultimately landing in Los Angeles in the early afternoon.

Tuesday: After only a shoot-around, McBride scored 24 points, including a three-point play with 2.1 seconds left that broke a tie that gave the Lynx an 87-84 victory over the Sparks.

It was the first victory of the season for the Lynx (1-4).

This was a four-quarters-long star turn for McBride, who scored 15 of her team's first 25 points, who hit four of the team's nine three-pointers, whose presence on the floor created space for just about everyone else: Jessica Shepard (10 points), Moriah Jefferson (20 points, seven rebounds, six assists). Sylvia Fowles (20 points, 12 rebounds).

"As exhausted as I am, I'm super grateful I showed up for my team,'' said McBride, whose family flew in to watch her.

McBride was hot early, clutch late.

BOXSCORE: Lynx 87, Los Angeles 84

With 1:14 left, as Fowles was scoring on a put-back to put the Lynx up three – all of her six fourth-quarter points were second-chance – McBride got hit low by Sparks center Liz Cambage, then got hit high by Sparks forward Nneka Oqwumike. During the ensuing time out Reeve said McBride, a knot forming over her eye, was angry. McBride said she was just mad she'd missed the layup Fowles had to clean up.

Anyway: In a game that had 14 lead changes and 13 ties, the Sparks tied the game on Lexie Brown's three, the Lynx went up two on Shepard's put-back moments later. And then, with 15.1 seconds left Cambage scored, drawing Fowles' sixth foul in the process.

Spoiler alert: Cambage missed the free throw.

But the Lynx needed to score. An OT without Fowles would have been difficult. Out of a time out the Lynx struggled to get the ball in, forcing another TO. This time it all worked. Minnesota in-bounded the ball, McBride got her defender chasing her. Shepard made a great pass to get McBride the ball. Using the rim as protection, McBride scored and was fouled by Brittney Sykes.

She made her free throw.

"I just wanted to bring energy, make a play,'' she said. "Jess made an amazing pass.''

McBride's impact was amazing. The Lynx scored a season-high 46 points in the first half, a season high for the game. They won a gritty game in which L.A. turned 19 Lynx turnovers into 24 points and shot nearly 48 percent, despite 22 points from Ogwumike and 12 each from Cambage and Brown.

But they had a 40-26 edge on the boards. Minnesota scored 22 points off 13 offensive boards. The Lynx handed L.A. (2-3) a loss in the Sparks home opener.

This was a reunion for McBride and Jefferson, who played three seasons together, two in San Antonio and one when the Stars moved to Las Vegas and became the Aces. Back then they used to come to Minneapolis and get dominated by a Lynx team during their championship era. They always thought it would be cool to one day play together for Minnesota.

"I had dreams about it,'' McBride said.

In their first game together since 2018 they combined for 44 points, five three-pointers, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

"We're here now,'' Jefferson said. "We have to make the best of the situation we're in." .

The Star Tribune did not travel for this game. This article was written using the television broadcast and video interviews after the game.