game 4 at a glance
7:30 p.m. at Los Angeles • ESPN, 106.1-FM
Lynx face Sparks in must-win spot
Preview: Lynx guard Renee Montgomery had the best answer of the evening Friday, after the Lynx had fallen behind 2-1 in the best-of-five WNBA Finals with a 75-64 loss to the Sparks at Staples Center. She was asked about adjustments that needed to be made. "The adjustment is, there is no adjustment,'' Montgomery said. "You just play like it's your last game.'' It will be if the Lynx can't figure out how to get consistent offense. Two of the team's worst playoff quarters in franchise history have come in this series, and Friday the trio of Lindsay Whalen, Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus didn't score in the first half. Moore had 16 in the second half, but the other two never scored. While the Lynx will be looking to force a Game 5 on Wednesday at Williams Arena, the Sparks will be looking to become the first back-to-back champions since they did it in 2002.
Players to watch: Lynx G Augustus' zero-point performance was the first in her playoff career. It came after she was an efficient 12-for-24 over the first two games. She took only four shots Friday. F Moore was stymied by foul trouble in the first half but was 6-for-8 in the second half. Backup G Montgomery had 12 points Friday and rookie G Alexis Jones scored nine points in 17 minutes. Sparks G Chelsea Gray is averaging 18.7 points in this series.
Numbers: Friday the Sparks starters outscored their Lynx counterparts 64-37. Among starting guards that number was 30-0. … The Lynx are 6-5 all-time in playoff elimination games, 1-4 on the road. That one victory came in Game 4 last year when the Lynx beat the Sparks to force a fifth game at Target Center. … In the Finals, the Lynx are 2-2 in elimination games.
Kent Youngblood
