#LosLynx win 94-77! MN now takes a 1-0 advantage in the W Conf Finals before heading to LA for Game 2 on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC!

— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) October 5, 2012

Despite the concerns about fatigue and being one shot away from elimination in the first round of the 2012 WNBA Playoffs, the Minnesota Lynx looked ready for a return to the WNBA Finals in a 94-77 win over the Los Angeles Sparks tonight.

Regardless of whatever doubts people had after the first round, the Lynx are still an extremely difficult team to defend and the Sparks simply didn't look up to the task tonight, as described by Jānis Kacēns in a brief recap of the game.

There was some tight defense being played in the series between Minnesota and Seattle, but that wasn’t the case in this game. Los Angeles could not provide nowhere the same defensive intensity. After a slow first quarter Minnesota got their legs under them and went on a 14-2 run in the second quarter. They scored twice as many points in the second quarter (32) as in the first (16).

L.A.'s inability to contain all of Minnesota's options was only exacerbated by their inability to consistently compete with them on the boards, where they were out-rebounded 37-25.

The series continues in Los Angeles on Sunday at 2 p.m.

For more on Minnesota's playoff run, visit SB Nation Minnesota's storystream.