Minnesota Lynx win 4th WNBA championship

(Image credit: Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

The Minnesota Lynx beat the Los Angeles Sparks 85-76 in Game 5 of the WNBA finals Wednesday night, securing their fourth championship in seven years, tying the Houston Comets in all-time WNBA titles. Sylvia Fowles — both the regular season and WNBA Finals MVP — scored 17 points and grabbed 20 rebounds for the Lynx, while Maya Moore had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Lindsay Whalen sank 17 points and had eight assists. Candace Parker was the top scorer for the Sparks, last year's champions, with 19 points and 15 rebounds.

This was the sixth trip to the finals in seven years for Minnesota, after winning just one playoff game in their first 12 seasons. Their record from 2011 puts them in the same league as the early Comets, when Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes ruled the court. "They wanted to take their place next to the Houston Comets," said Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve. "So they did it."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.