Sparks 96, Lynx 81: Searching For Sylvia

Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty ImagesMost teams play worse without their best player, but the Lynx desperately felt the absence of Sylvia Fowles Sunday afternoon as she missed her second game this week. Fowles is dealing with a calf strain that kept her from playing in Wednesday’s win over New York. Not only is Fowles a perineal All-Star, but the entire team is built around her presence both the offensively and defensively.

Los Angeles took full advantage of Minnesota’s compromised defense. Without Fowles the Lynx struggled to protect the rim. Sparks guards routinely found their way into the paint and the Lynx discombobulated help defense offered little resistance. Minnesota relies on…