The Los Angeles Sparks are getting reinforcements to make a building team even better.
After getting Azura Stevens (back) into their lineup for the first time on Tuesday night in a loss at Seattle, Los Angeles welcomed Jasmine Thomas (knee) into the playing rotation during Friday night’s 77-62 home win over Chicago.
Stevens and Thomas get another chance to chip off rust on Sunday night when the Sparks (4-3) travel to Minneapolis for a matchup with the struggling Minnesota Lynx (1-7).
Thomas, who played for Los Angeles coach Curt Miller last year in Connecticut, worked 12 minutes in her season debut, finishing with five points and a rebound. Stevens went 0-for-7 from the floor Friday night in 13 minutes but pulled down six rebounds and blocked a shot.
Nneka Ogwumike scored 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds Friday night. She averages team-leading totals in both categories (20.3, 10.0).
Meanwhile, Minnesota missed a chance to earn consecutive wins when it dropped a 71-69 decision at home Friday night to Indiana in a matchup of the WNBA’s last-place teams. The Lynx hit just 38.1 percent from the field to cancel out a good defensive effort.
Instead, the Lynx lost because of poor shooting and turnovers. They committed 14 turnovers that led to 20 points for the Fever. Minnesota was outscored 19-0 in fast-break points.
Napheesa Collier, who scored a game-high 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, is averaging a team-high 19.8 points per game on the season.
The Lynx won two of three meetings last year, although the road team won every game in the series.
