Miles, Williams help WNBA-best Lynx hold off Fever

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rookie sensation Olivia Miles spearheaded an efficient offense with 28 points, Courtney Williams added 27 points, and the Minnesota Lynx won their 10th-straight game with a 108-100 win over the Indiana Fever on Sunday.

There was a rally outside the Target Center that pitted those supporting Fever reserve Sophie Cunningham, who told ESPN last week she believed trans athletes should not play against girls , against those with the opposite feeling. Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve wore a shirt that read, “Trans kids belong,” and had a pregame conversation with Cunningham, who was booed throughout the game.

Minnesota had a 96-82 lead with 6:41 to play before the Fever, who had scored 100 in a record six-straight games, pulled within 100-98 with more than 2 1/2 minutes to go. Miles and Williams both came up with big baskets as the Lynx won their 10th straight for the first time since 2016.

“First time playing each other, so there’s a bit of a feeling out sort of thing,” Reeve said. “And offense definitely had their way with each of the teams’ defense. Certainly knew it probably wasn’t going to be sustained, and it wasn’t. We were hoping at some point our defense could be a separator.

The league’s No. 1 offense definitely made life difficult for the league’s No. 2 defense, but the Fever, who played in Portland on Friday night, struggled to stop the Lynx on the offensive end. Both teams shot 57% and both had 11 3-pointers and went 11 of 15 from the foul line. They also combined for 55 assists. The big difference was Indiana had 12 turnovers to six for Minnesota, which had an 11-5 edge in offensive rebounds and 9-0 advantage in fastbreak points.

SPARKS 106, FIRE 101

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Dearica Hamby scored 23 points, Nneka Ogwumike had 20 of her 22 in the second half and Los Angeles — on a day they learned star teammate Kelsey Plum was traded — ended a six-game losing streak with a win over Portland.

Plum, sidelined since June 21 with a leg injury, was sent to the Phoenix Mercury late Saturday night. She texted her former teammates before the game. The Sparks are now 3-9 without Plum.

Ogwumike hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:25 to play, making it 98-96. Hamby followed with a layup off an Ogwumike assist. In the last 24 seconds Ogwumike and Erica Wheeler went 6 for 6 from the foul line.

Wheeler, Ariel Atkins, Rae Burrell and reserve Jihyun Park all added 12 points for the Sparks (11-17). Hamby and Ogwumike both had 10 rebounds and Wheeler had eight assists.

Bridget Carleton hit seven 3-pointers and scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Fire (11-19), who lost their fifth straight, four times allowing 100-plus points. Carla Leite added 21 points and eight assists and Megan DiLeo scored 19.

WINGS 83, SUN 63

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jessica Shepard and Arike Ogunbowale scored 15 points each and Dallas used a big run in the third quarter to cruise to a win over Connecticut.

After a slow start to the third quarter, when the Wings had more misses and turnovers than points, they followed a timeout with a 20-2 run to close the quarter and turn a nine-point lead into a 72-45 lead.

The Sun went 3 of 15 from the field and scored just eight points.

Azzi Fudd added 12 points for the Wings (19-11), who ended a two-game skid. Paige Bueckers scored just six points, the fewest in her two-year career. With reserves playing the fourth quarter Dallas still finished at 48% shooting, making 7 of 18 3-pointers. Fudd was 4 of 5 on 3s and Ogunbowale made 7 of 9 shots with five assists.

Diamond Miller led the Sun (7-23) with a season-high 22 points. Kennedy Burke added 14.

VALKYRIES 96, TEMPO 79

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Janelle Salaun came off the bench to score 24 points, Veronica Burton contributed 17 points and six assists, and Golden State used their stingy defense down the stretch to hold off Toronto for a win.

Gabby Williams and Tiffany Hayes scored 15 points apiece in the first of back-to-back matchups between the teams at Chase Center, where a raucous sellout crowd cheered Golden State ending a two-game skid that followed a nine-game winning streak.

Salaun shot 9 for 15 with four 3-pointers, putting Golden State ahead 66-59 on a 3 with 1:30 left in the third. She just missed her career-high of 26 set July 8 at Toronto.

Burton converted a three-point play with 6:55 remaining in the game then a steal with 6:14 remaining that led to Salaun’s three-point play moments later that put the Valkyries ahead 80-68.

Nyara Sabally had 19 points and eight rebounds for the expansion Tempo, who began a five-game road trip by losing their sixth straight game and 10th in their last 11.