2016 WNBA playoff scores: Lynx, Sparks open semis with blow-out wins


What rust? The semi-final round of the 2016 WNBA playoffs opened with a pair of blowout wins on Wednesday as top-ranked sides Minnesota and Los Angeles showed why they clinched the top two seeds this post-season.

In the first game, the Lynx overwhelmed the eighth-seeded Phoenix Mercury, 113-95 behind a 63.9 percent shooting display at the Xcel Energy Center which saw them set the record for most points in a post-season regulation game.

Maya Moore had 31 points on 12-for-19 shooting, eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals while five others scored in double-digits for the Lynx. Sylvia Fowles added a double-double of 16 points and 10 boards.

Lindsay Whalen and Seimone Augustus finished with 19 and 10 points, respectively. Both guards had seven assists as well. As a team, the Lynx assisted 30 of 46 makes.

Things began to open in the second quarter when the Lynx went relatively smaller, putting Rebekkah Brunson at the five position while having Natasha Howard play the four. It was mainly due to Fowles' foul trouble early in the contest, but the adjustment proved to be vital for the Lynx.

Such line-up drew Brittney Griner out of the paint and opened the lane for Minnesota to attack the rim. And they punished the Mercury, outcoring them 31-15 in the second quarter to pull away.

Diana Taurasi led the Mercury with 25 points. Griner added 16 points on 7-for-8 shooting and three blocks.


In the second game, the Sparks had no trouble against the Chicago Sky, picking up a 95-75 victory at the Pyramid of the Long Beach State campus.

Unlike in the second round where the Sky drew tremendous games from Jessica Breland and Tamera Young, the Sky this time had no answers to the league's best frontcourt of Candace Parker and newly-crowned 2016 WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike. Not when the Sky are still without 2015 MVP Elena Delle Donne, who has also improved on the defensive end.

Parker tallied 30 points and nine rebounds. Ogwumike added 27 points, 10 boards, and six assists. The two combined to shoot an astounding 22-for-29 from the floor.

The Sparks were already up big in the first half as Parker scored 19 of her 30 points in the first two periods.

Jamierra Faulkner had 13 points off the bench to lead the Sky. Cappie Pondexter had 12 points, Young added 11 points, while Courtney Vandersloot had 10 points and five assists.

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