at Indiana, and the Fever got the championship.Then last year, again going against Indiana, the Lynx lost 75-69 in Game 1. Once more, turnovers were a f

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve is an expert at analyzing her team, but this is one thing she really cant explain.In each of their five WNBA Finals appearances, the Lynx have had the best record and been the host for the first two games. However, theyve lost the opener now three times.Isnt that crazy? Reeve mused. I kind of went back and thought about it. I think each year is different, but it was surprising to me.Los Angeles won 78-76 on Alana Beards buzzer-beater on Sunday in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. Even while the game was being played, the Lynx knew what their biggest problems were: turnovers and fouls. But they werent able to satisfactorily fix those things before it was too late.Its two good teams going against each other, Minnesotas Maya Moore said. We cant give up easy points in transition off their aggressive defense. Its about moment-by-moment getting the ball where we want it on offense.Of course, the Sparks feel like they have things to clean up as well, despite winning the game.Theyre going to adjust to our pressure, for sure, L.A.s Candace Parker said. But we lost a lot of statistical categories, too. So this isnt just about them having to adjust to us. We have to make adjustments, too.Now well see which path the series takes from here. The teams meet again at Target Center on Tuesday (ESPN2, 8 p.m. ET) and the Lynx will try to become the first team to hold court in this series in 2016. The visiting team has won all four previous meetings this season.Sometimes, results of past seasons are irrelevant because personnel is different. But since Minnesotas core and coaching staff are the same, there is some reason to look back on those two previous Game 1 losses to see what the Lynx did then and how they responded.In 2012, the Lynx lost Game 1 to Indiana 76-70, and turnovers cost Minnesota then, too. The Lynx bounced back and won the second game, but then lost twice at Indiana, and the Fever got the championship.Then last year, again going against Indiana, the Lynx lost 75-69 in Game 1. Once more, turnovers were a factor, as was the Lynxs 15-of-23 shooting from the line, while the Fever went 16-for-16.But the Lynx ended up winning the series, taking the second game behind powerful performances from Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles, and the third game on Moores buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Indiana won Game 4, but Minnesota won the decisive fifth game basically by attrition, 69-52. The Lynx had worn out the Fever by then.That might be a factor in this 2016 WNBA Finals, too, especially if it goes five games. Sunday, Los Angeles coach Brian Agler stuck with a seven-player rotation, while Reeve used 10 players.I think well go deeper, but [Sunday] just wasnt that time, Agler said. It was sort of a gut feeling, and sometimes you just go with what was working. Im sure that going forward, well use our eighth and ninth players a little bit more.When the teams first met this season, on June 21 in Los Angeles, it was close throughout with the Lynx winning 72-69 on Renee Montgomerys 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds left.Three days later in Minneapolis, the Sparks took over the fourth quarter, outscoring the Lynx 29-17 for a 94-76 victory.They didnt play again until Sept. 6 in Los Angeles, and the Lynx were up by 10 with 35 seconds left. Game over? Not quite. The Lynx won 77-74, but a scoring surge from Sparks guard Chelsea Gray kept things uncomfortable down the stretch.The Sparks prevailing on Sunday in Minneapolis sent the crowd home disappointed, and the Lynx players were frustrated, too. But not overly so, since theyve been through this before. The Lynx dont lose a lot of games, period. But they especially dont lose much when they shoot 51 percent from the field, as they did Sunday (31 of 61).Minnesotas Seimone Augustus said after the game, she shut off her phone -- I didnt want to talk to anybody -- and went home to get a good nights sleep. She knew Mondays film session wouldnt be much fun, but would help.You can hit the rewind button and play it again. And hit the rewind and play it again, Augustus said of reviewing mistakes the Lynx made. Its something that we need.Its minor details that weve got to work out. Weve got to be smarter with the passes. Just knowing that theyre going to collapse on the ball. Youve got to be able to handle the pressure. Its the Finals and [the Sparks] came in to win, and thats what they did. Now weve got to put the pedal to the metal. Adidas Yeezy NZ Shoes . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. Discount Adidas Yeezy Shoes NZ Outlet . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. http://www.discountyeezynz.com/ . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. Cheap Yeezy NZ Online .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. Cheap Adidas Shoes NZ . Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC failed to make the postseason while Montreal Impact fell at the first hurdle losing heavily to Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round. FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Defensive end Rob Ninkovich said the New England Patriots defense has a long way to go to get ready for Sept. 11 opener at Arizona.Its early in camp. We still have a lot of days here to get better, Ninkovich said Thursday. Obviously, you get pads on youre starting to build that foundation of communication.We got a long way to go here through camp. Theres no light yet.While much of the camp focus has been on the offense, which will be missing quarterback Tom Brady for the first four games because of his Deflategate suspension and has key players returning from surgery, the defense is getting used to life without Chandler Jones.The Patriots finished second in the league with 49 sacks last season -- and Jones led the way with 12 1/2 sacks. Jones was traded to Arizona during the offseason and will line up against his old team on opening night in Glendale, Arizona.Ninkovich, who had 6 1/2 sacks last season, is expected to pick up some of the production without Jones.Chan was a great teammate -- a good friend of mine, Im definitely going to miss him as a friend and I wish him nothing but the best going forward, Ninkovich said.Hes a great football player and everyone is going to have to step up without him, but thats just the name of the game.Theres always going to be change. Ive been here eight years and Ive seen a lot of guys come and go. You just have to move on and the next guys gotta perform -- thats just the name of the business.As far as opening night, and seeing Jones, Ninkovich says, You have to look at him across the field and hope he doesnt do what he does best.Defensive end Chris Long and tackle Terrance Knighton have been added to the front seven for a team that finished ninth in the league in team defense and 10th in points allowed.Cornerback Cyrus Jones was the teams top draft pick -- No. 60 in the draft -- and has looked good.I felt last year we got better throughout the season, safety Devin McCourty said. A lot of young guys -- juust trying to build on that and get that going this year.dddddddddddd.Any time you lose a great player like Chan, different guys have to step up and take on different roles, especially in our defense, he plays so many different roles. But I think were got guys here who can handle all the different situations -- maybe not one guy but a group of guys.Knighton said hes trying to learn as fast as he can to avoid be the weak link.Long likes what he sees from his new teammates, the way they go about their business. Im just trying to do the best that I can to fit in to that group, he said.Said Ninkovich: Defensively we really have to get better individually. Thats what the training camp is for, work on your fundamentals and footwork, hand placement so youre becoming a better football player. At the end of the day, when everyone is working on themselves and you come together as a team youre a better team.Weve got a long way to go.Ninkovich said the players are ready to hit someone on a different team, and theyll get the chance to do that next Tuesday and Wednesday, when the New Orleans Saints visit for joint workouts before the preseason opener next Thursday night.Game notes Tom Brady was intercepted by safety Duron Harmon for the second time in camp Thursday. ... Jimmy Garoppolo had a strong day, unofficially at 10 for 10 at one point. ... With the wide receiver position thin as Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola continue rehabbing offseason surgeries and others banged up, Chris Harper had a good day -- including beating corner Logan Ryan by 5 yards and hauling in a long pass from Brady. ... Fullback James Develin beat Ninkovich on a wheel route and caught a long pass from Garoppolo. ... Offensive lineman Bryan Stork is out, reportedly with his fourth concussion in four years.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '