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MINNEAPOLIS -- Candace Parker and the Sparks jumped with joy on the court, joined in celebration by a guy named Magic Johnson who once made basketball championships a habit in Los Angeles. Mike Gesicki Jersey .Parkers old college coach, the late Pat Summitt, was there in spirit too.Nneka Ogwumikes short jumper with 3.1 seconds left, off the rebound of her blocked shot, gave the Sparks a 77-76 victory over the defending champion Minnesota Lynx in the deciding Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Thursday night for the franchises first title in 14 years.Parker had 28 points and 12 rebounds to earn MVP honors of the Finals and her first WNBA title, capping a trying year marked by the death of the beloved Summitt, with whom she won two NCAA championships at Tennessee. Parker also was left off the U.S. Olympic team after helping them to a gold medal in the previous two Games.The journey to get here I wouldnt have wanted to do it with anybody else, Parker said. Its amazing when you surround yourself with good people how fun it is.Sparks coach Brian Agler started his postgame news conference by playing a recording of the Tennessee fight song, Rocky Top, from a phone in front of him at the podium. Parker cried as she leaned over to hug her coach.Ive never been around somebody that has been critiqued so hard, Agler said, and Ive never been around anyone Im happy for than Candace.Said Ogwumike: Shes been through so much. Shes probably the most misunderstood person in the league. I told her I wanted her to get one.Parker heard Summitts voice in her head, recalling the time-worn advice to focus on defense and rebounding.You cant control if shots go in or shots dont, but what you can control is defense and rebounding, Parker said.Rebekkah Brunson made one of two free throws with 23.4 seconds left to give the Lynx a 74-73 lead. Parker answered with a layup on the other end that Maya Moore countered with a jumper. Then Ogwumike hustled her way over to the loose ball after Sylvia Folwes blocked her first attempt. She coolly swished it.Lindsay Whalens heave from just inside halfcourt bounced high off the backboard, setting off the celebration for the Sparks and silencing the sellout crowd of 19,423.Moore had 23 points and 11 assists for the Lynx, who fell short of matching the WNBA record of four championships. The Houston Comets won four straight titles from 1997-2000. The Lynx played in the finals for the fifth time in the last six years. They won three.The team that won this game deserved to win the game, Moore said, so its just hard to have it come that close.Chelsea Gray reeled off 11 consecutive points for the Sparks, capping that run with a smooth up-and-under layup to put them in front 60-59 early in the fourth quarter. Parkers putback with 3:06 left gave L.A. a 71-63 lead, putting the Lynx in trouble.But Moore seized the moment with a 3-pointer that brought Minnesota within four points, and Parker forced an off-balance 3 on the other end. Whalen stole the ball from Kristi Toliver and finished the fast break with a layup to tie the game at 71, setting up the final flurry.On the next play, Ogwumike hit a jumper that appeared to come after the shot clock expired. The officials signaled for a review but never looked at the basket. Los Angeles led 73-71 with just over a minute left. Seimone Augustus answered with a jumper, but those points proved to be critical.Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, making sure to credit the Sparks for their performance was livid about the non-call afterward.Its not enough just to apologize and send out a memo that they got something wrong, OK? These players are so invested, and something must be done about the officiating in this league. Because it is not fair to these great players that we have, Reeve said.The WNBAs new postseason format with the field ordered by overall record regardless of conference sure worked well, leading to this classic matchup between the two teams that fought all summer for the top seed and featuring several of the leagues biggest stars.I hope that we gained a lot of fans from around the world and around this country, Augustus said.The game was remarkably close, with 24 lead changes and 11 ties with no team ever leading by double digits.CHAMPIONSHIP ATMOSPHEREThe sea of green T-shirts donned by almost everyone in the crowd produced a deafening soundtrack from start to finish befitting a game for the trophy.Even Johnson was there, wearing all black while sitting courtside to root for the Sparks team hes a part-owner of and spoke to after the loss at home in Game 4 on Sunday. His presence was all the more impressive considering the Dodgers, the other pro club hes invested in, were playing baseball in Los Angeles at the same time in Game 5 of their National League championship series.They had to believe they could do it on a tough home court. This team Minnesota is tremendous, Johnson said. We just beat the champions so I give them a lot of credit to.WOLF TRACKSThe Lynx had celebrity backing, too, with Timberwolves players including Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Ricky Rubio, Cole Aldrich and Nemanja Belica in the seats to support the women they share an arena with. Mark Duper Jersey . By having more great seasons. Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. Bob Griese Youth Jersey . - NASCAR announced a 33-race schedule for the 2014 Nationwide Series with virtually no changes from this years slate. http://www.authenticdolphinspro.com/Mark-duper-dolphins-jersey/ .com) - Following a late-game loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors will look to sustain their recent high-level play as they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers. SAN JOSE, Calif. -- After ending their first road trip with a dud in Detroit, the San Jose Sharks have looked more like the team that won the Western Conference last season once they returned home.Joe Pavelski and Tommy Wingels scored 17 seconds apart and San Jose went on to beat the Nashville Predators 4-1 on Saturday night in a rematch of last seasons seven-game, second-round playoff series won by the Sharks.The Sharks responded from a 2/3 road trip capped by a 3-0 loss to the Red Wings by winning all three at home -- allowing just three goals in the process.That last game, I dont know if it was just a last game on the road trip type of game, but we werent very good, forward Logan Couture said. I figured when we got home wed play a little bit better.That didnt happen last season when San Jose had the leagues top road record but lost more regular season home games than any playoff team. The Sharks are changing that script early this season with four straight home wins at the start.I know weve struggled in this building for whatever reason, Wingels said. No excuses. Is it nice to have a different effort and a different result this year? Absolutely. Were going to build on it, and try to string five, six, or seven in a row.Joonas Donskoi also scored and Joe Thornton added an empty-netter as the Sharks picked up where they left off last spring from that all-home team series against the Predators. Martin Jones made 27 saves to help San Jose finish off the 3-0 homestand.James Neal scored the lone goal for the struggling Predators. Nashville has lost six of its last seven games and is winless in five road contests this season. Pekka Rinne made 23 saves.We just feel like were just not playing up to our potential right now, captain Mike Fisher said. We know were a better team. When youre not getting the results its frustrating.This game turned quickly early in the second period. Jones started it when he stopped Craig Smith on a breakaway after a defensive breakdown by teammate Melker Karlsson.The Sharks then qquickly drew the games first power play when Yannick Weber was called for cross checking. Minkah Fitzpatrick Dolphins Jersey. San Jose took just 6 seconds to cash that in for a goal when Thornton won the faceoff. Brent Burns point shot went wide off the back boards, but Pavelski knocked the rebound into the crease and it deflected off Rinne and into the net.Before the fans were even done celebrating that goal, San Jose got another fortunate bounce when David Schlemkos shot hit teammate Michael Haley and went straight to Wingels, who knocked it into the open net for his first goal of the season.The Predators finally got on the board in the final minute of the second period when Neal deflected Ryan Ellis point shot past Jones but it wasnt enough.We have to find a way to come out in these games and score the first goal and get a lead and try to build on it as opposed to always trying to chase the game from behind and never having that comfort of being up a goal, coach Peter Laviolette said. I thought we fought in the third period. Its tough coming back from being down 3-0.San Jose struck first late in the opening period after a wild shift that started with Donskoi and Joel Ward failing to put the puck in even though was caught well out of the net trying to play the puck. But the Sharks kept the pressure on and Donskoi eventually slid a rebound under Rinnes pad for the opening goal.Game notes Nashville has allowed the first goal in seven of eight games this season. ... The Sharks had their first perfect homestand of at least three games since going 5-0 in December 2014. San Jose is 4-0 overall at home after winning just four of its first 14 at the Shark Tank last season. ... San Jose has killed 19 of 20 penalties over the past six games.UP NEXTPredators: Continue a five-game road trip Tuesday night at Colorado.Sharks: Head on the road to take on Arizona on Tuesday night for the first time this season. ' ' '