Lynx stay unbeaten, defeat Silver Stars, 83-79

AP photo

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Maya Moore and Rebekkah Brunson each scored 17 points and the Minnesota Lynx held off the San Antonio Silver Stars 83-79 on Sunday night.

Lindsay Whalen had 15 points and seven assists for Minnesota (7-0). Seimone Augustus added 14 points.

It is the sixth time in league history that a team has won at least seven straight to start the season. Los Angeles holds the league record, starting 9-0 in 2001 and 2003.

Danielle Adams scored 21 points for San Antonio, Jia Perkins had 16 and Sophia Young 14. The Silver Stars (2-3) have lost seven straight regular season games to Minnesota.

The game was nearly a refreshing change of late for the defending league champions who found themselves in close games the last two outings.

Keyed by a 13-2 fourth-quarter run, the Lynx won 85-72 at Connecticut Friday, two days after Whalen scored with 1 second remaining to win at Washington 79-77.

Minnesota led by 26 points midway through the third quarter, but a putback and 3-pointer by Adams keyed an 11-2 San Antonio run at the end of the third quarter to get the Silver Stars within 67-53.

Back-to-back jumpers by Perkins got the Silver Stars within 77-70 with 1:35 to play, but Brunson scored down low for the Lynx and grabbed a defensive rebound. Adams hit a 3-pointer to make it 79-73 with 40.7 seconds to go. After Augustus missed a pair of free throws, Adams scored on a baseline drive with 30.5 seconds left.

Moore scored 13 of her 15 first-half points in the second frame as Minnesota opened up a 50-29 halftime lead.

Moore hit three jumpers, and scored from down low during a 15-4 run — capped by an Augustus 3-pointer — to give the Lynx a 24-point cushion late in the quarter.

Minnesota, which entered the game shooting a league-best 52.2 percent, shot 68.8 percent in the first half. San Antonio shot just 30.6 percent. Minnesota finished with 53 percent; San Antonio 38.4 percent.

San Antonio’s Becky Hammon made a 3-pointer from near half court to end the first half.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.