The Los Angeles Sparks pulled off a harrowing comeback and won their final two road games to win the 2016 WNBA Finals 3-2, after a dramatic and controversial 77-76 victory in Thursday's deciding Game 5.
Candace Parker, who was named 2016 WNBA Finals MVP, led the way with 28 points and pulled down 12 rebounds on the night, but the fight of 2016 WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike in the final seconds of the deciding game proved to make the championship difference.
After Maya Moore made a 16-foot shot to give the Minnesota Lynx a one-point lead with only 15 seconds showing on the game clock, Sparks guard Chelsea Gray drove the length of the court and took a contested shot that did not fall.
Luckily for LA, Ogwumike gobbled up the rebound but had her first attempt blocked. The 26-year-old gathered the rebound and managed to convert with only two seconds remaining in the game. With no timeouts in the bag, Lindsay Whalen's Hail Mary heave hit high off the backboard as time expired.
What a finish to the #WNBAFinals.
The #Sparks win an absolute classic! 🙌🏾🔥 pic.twitter.com/iBI9ovwiqZ — Ball Don't Stop (@balldontstop) October 21, 2016
And the LA Sparks celebrated.
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Parker emotionally dedicated the victory to the Late Pat Summit.
Candace Parker. Chills. pic.twitter.com/38lxk5Hc8i — Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) October 21, 2016
Ogwumike, who also won the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year Award, finished with 12 rebounds and 12 points on the night. While her final two points could not be disputed, an earlier shot Ogwumike converted in the fourth quarter appeared to come after the shot clock had expired. The officials, however, could not review the call, so those two points stood on the scoreboard and provided a major talking point following the narrow one-point victory.
Thursday clinched the LA Sparks' third WNBA Finals victory and the first since 2002.