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WNBA FINALS: SPARKS VS LYNX

September 24, 2017

Brian Agler

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Los Angeles Sparks - 85

Minnesota Lynx - 84

BRIAN AGLER: I thought it was a very, very competitive game. I don't think it really surprises anybody that's watched these two teams play over the last couple years.

Hats off to Minnesota, how they battled back. I know they are not real happy with how they started the game but it showed a lot of character how they put themselves back in the game, and in position to win.

But I'm also really proud and excited about how we started game and how we sort of finished. You know, we had to make plays at both ends, and we did. Did some things that didn't really help ourselves with missing free throws and turnovers.

But you know, we found a way to get the ball in the right person's hands. Chelsea Gray made some very, very big plays throughout the course of the game, and especially down the stretch.

Q. What did you see from Chelsea, just in her composure and being able to continue to hit those big shots, even when things seemed to be not going your way?
BRIAN AGLER: Well, I have sort of watched this develop over the course of two years, how -- I think it's important for a player like that to hit those shots. They have to have a lot of confidence from their teammates. They get that from their teammates. And you know, even in that timeout, they were encouraging me, Candace was encouraging me, especially, to get it in her hands.

We had a couple try to get a couple looks maybe to the rim that didn't develop, and then put in her hands, and she made a heck of a play. I thought Seimone did a pretty good job defending her.

Q. What allowed for this hot start, 28-2 run to start the game?
BRIAN AGLER: I thought we defended them well. They didn't hit shots. That was a big part of it. They hit shots and we didn't. I know that sounds simple and elementary, that's pretty much what it was. They had a couple turnovers and we got out on transition.

You know, they upped their intensity at the defensive end and really started pressuring us and made us stagnant. Over time, even in the first half, they got themselves back within striking distance.

And then I thought third quarter we played again pretty well. I thought we extended our lead a little bit, and then in the second half, they really did a great job of executing their stuff. Created some turnovers, got in transition and hit some shots.

But we had the ability to keep matching them. That was the big thing. When they made their runs -- it took them a lot of possessions to do that. I was pleased with a lot of things we did. I think both teams are probably going to look at this game and say, you know, there's a lot of things we can clean up and get better at.

Q. Who is the calming force on this team in a time like that final minute when Minnesota is coming on and the crowd is finally into it and the score is flip-flopping?
BRIAN AGLER: Yeah, Chelsea has great poise. I think Alana and Nneka seem to have real cool heads out there. They are the ones that are trying to keep people together and keep us on the same page. So I would say those two people in general.

But I think Chelsea, you know, not only was she hitting big shots, but she was dealing with a lot of pressure on the ball.

Q. Can you just take us through the start of the game, the decision not to go through the National Anthem and how that whole process played out?
BRIAN AGLER: You know, I just think that there's a lot going on right now, a lot of just not understandable dialogue. I think that our players decided to not come out. That was about the extent of it.

You know, I think there's a lot of people thinking a lot of things, and I'm part of this team and that was their decision.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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