LOS ANGELES, October 8, 2026 – The Los Angeles Sparks stopped the Minnesota Lynx’s winning streak of 10 games as the Sparks beat the leading team in the league 89-82 in Minneapolis on Thursday night.
Dearica Hamby scored 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Kelsey Plum scored 21 points for Los Angeles, which secured its 12th victory of the season under gruelling conditions.
An upset in Minneapolis
Minnesota entered the contest at an elite 25-6 with a winning streak of more than 10 games and a dominant 15-1 in Western Conference action. The Sparks, meanwhile, sat at 11-18 and were playing on zero rest after losing 95-88 in Chicago less than 24 hours earlier.
None of that mattered once the fourth quarter began. Tied at 63-all entering the final 10 minutes, Los Angeles took complete control, outscoring Minnesota 26-19 down the stretch to pull away.
Minnesota was on a roll. The Lynx had won 10 consecutive games, including a 108-100 win over Indiana on Sunday, and their rookie point guard Olivia Miles had scored 28 points against the Fever.
Hamby sets the tone
This time, Hamby made the ultimate difference. Her 22-point, 14-rebound game came just within 24 hours of her leading Los Angeles with 22 points and 14 rebounds against Chicago.
It was Plum who provided the outside shooting for Los Angeles in this game with her 21 points. Rickea Jackson scored 15, while Azurá Stevens provided 13 points along with 11 rebounds, allowing Los Angeles to get sufficient scoring balance to survive against the defensive pressure of Minnesota.
Los Angeles received help from its newest addition as well. Monique Akoa Makani, signed in a trade that sent Plum to Phoenix, had joined the team just one day before the game; Lynne Roberts had mentioned that the objective now was to familiarize her with the basics.
Lynx stumble late
The Lynx were deep all night, but their offense went cold when it counted. Minnesota came into the fourth quarter with the game tied at 63, but they managed just 19 points in the last 10 minutes while Los Angeles pulled away.
Olivia Miles scored 19 points on the night, and Kayla McBride contributed 17, but Minnesota struggled to get stops late in the game. Napheesa Collier, who has been averaging 18.3 points in four games back from her offseason surgery, scored just 12 points.
Courtney Williams had talked about Minnesota’s ball movement prior to the game, saying their foundation was to take “whatever is the best shot.” Against Los Angeles’ aggressive late defensive rotations, those open looks simply didn’t materialize.
What it means
The victory proved that despite a challenging year for Los Angeles (12-18), sheer urgency and shot-making were enough to down any opponent on a given night.
Los Angeles improved their record to 12-18 and dealt the loss to the top team in the league, proving that despite the lack of experience, the new players on the roster could play at the highest level.
The loss showed that any team could fall back down from any streak eventually. Minnesota fell to 25-7, but they remain a quality team nonetheless. All they have to do now is get back on track without getting caught in the bad fourth quarter.
The Sparks won in Minneapolis. The Lynx learned in Minneapolis that there’re no guarantees, even in a 10-game streak.
