MINNEAPOLIS -- The Sparks didnt spend a lot of time dwelling on what didnt happen Sunday in Los Angeles, as understandable as it might have been. They had a chance to win a championship then, but fell short. Now theyll have another chance, but on Minnesotas home court at Target Center.Lakers legend Magic Johnson, one of the team owners, talked to the Sparks right after their 85-79 loss to Minnesota in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals, trying to pass on inspiring stories of his own playing days and bouncing back from disappointing losses.It was great, Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike said of the Hall of Famers message to the team. Hes very compassionate, and hes invested. He spoke from experience; he gave us a few anecdotes from when he played Boston. That resonated with the team.Its a very special thing to have someone like that involved with your team. He believes in us.The Sparks also believe in themselves. Theres no way to sugar-coat how difficult it will be to win at Minnesota in Game 5 on Thursday (ESPN2, 8 p.m. ET), especially with the Lynxs experience in the WNBA Finals. Minnesota has won three previous titles, including in five games last year against Indiana.But after Sundays loss, the Sparks realized they were trying too hard to win a title instead of just focusing on beating the Lynx. It might sound like the same thing, but it isnt. Coach Brian Agler pointed that out to the players while they watched film of the game.I told Coach yesterday, Thats exactly how I felt! Ogwumike said. Because I was laying in my bed that night -- and I wasnt disappointed, because I knew we had played hard -- but I was trying to figure out, Why didnt it work?Thats what he put in perspective. Having that with a good balance of focus, effort and awareness is what we need.If this all sounds like a bit of mental gymnastics, it is. But thats to be expected. The current Sparks havent been in this position before in the WNBA. Yes, all of them have won various championships at different levels, including in college. But a close-out game to win a professional series against a team that has done it before -- that was a new road to travel for the Sparks.Truth is, they gave a good effort. They played with passion and intensity throughout Sundays game. But they made some critical mistakes, especially late, and the Lynx pounced.Its an opportunity lost, but we have another opportunity, Sparks center Candace Parker said. Were not reinventing anything now. The things we have to do, its all about whether we can do them consistently.You know, nothings easy. Ive never done anything easy in my career. And [a WNBA championship] isnt going to be that way. Whether its this year or ... whenever. Its never easy. Thats what our team does. We do things the hard way.That might sound fatalistic, but Parkers point is that her nine seasons in the WNBA have had quite a few obstacles. Parker knows, though, that the biggest challenge is the mental game: not getting frustrated by how hard the Lynx can make it for any team to get what it wants offensively.Parker has to keep moving for the Sparks offense to work at its best. But as simple as that sounds, its not simple to do. When Parker and Ogwumike were very efficient offensively in Game 3, it naturally led to more opportunities for the rest of the Sparks. That 92-75 victory last Friday wasnt just about how aggressive the Sparks -- especially Parker -- were from the start, but how well they moved in their offense.That said, Sparks guard Alana Beard still thinks that defense has to be the cornerstone of trying to beat Minnesota one last time. Maya Moore had 31 points in Sundays game. As skilled a threat as Moore is, the Sparks saw on film that they also gave her too many chances to get easier baskets.We are a defensive team, Beard said. Being more locked in at the point of attack changes things. Keeping more focus on Maya. She scored some of her points on picking up loose balls, or kick-outs in transition. And once she gets those kinds of baskets, that really gets her going.Shes the best scorer in the league, in my opinion. But its about just staying aggressive and making every shot difficult for her.While Johnson gave the Sparks some examples of big games that he and the Lakers won on the road, they also can look to the fact that a visiting team winning Game 5 in the WNBA Finals is not unprecedented. Phoenix did it at Detroit in 2007. The other Game 5s -- the league went to a best-of-five format for the WNBA Finals in 2005 -- went to the home team: Detroit over Sacramento in 2006, Phoenix over Indiana in 2009, and the Lynx over the Fever last year.Agler feels confident that, if nothing else, his players wont carry an emotional hangover from Sunday into Thursday.They bounced back right after the game, he said. Magic told them that hes been in the same seat that theyre sitting in right now. And that, As much as youre disappointed, its not over yet. That was really good for him to come in and do that. I think it resonated with our team. Hydro Flask 18 OZ UK . But the quarterback hopes to stay involved in football after officially calling it quits Tuesday. "Id love to look at those opportunities as they arise," Pierce said in an interview from his Winnipeg eatery. Hydro Flask 24 OZ Sale . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. http://www.hydroflaskwaterbottleuk.com/hydro-flask-coffee-uk/20-oz.html . Listen to the game live on TSN Radio 1050 at 7pm et. The Raptors traded Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes. Hydro Flask With Straw Sale . Down by seven with 90 seconds left in regulation, thats where they looked comfortable. Ombre Hydro Flask 40 oz Wide Mouth Lemon Water Bottle . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. BENSALEM, Pa. -- Noholdingback Bear ran into traffic entering the far turn of the Grade 3 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx Racing on Saturday, but jockey Eurico Rosa Da Silva kept cool, regrouped, and then rallied in the stretch to score by 1-1/4 lengths in the six-furlong stakes for 3-year-olds.The $300,000 Gallant Bob was the third stakes win of the year for Noholdingback Bear, who will now be pointed to the $1.5 million Breeders Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 5, according to his Woodbine-based trainer, Michael DePaulo.Noholdingback Bear is owned by the Bear Stables of Danny Dion, who was thrilled in the winners circle after the race, congratulating Da Silva, appropriately, with a bear hug.When the gates opened for the $300,000 Gallant Bob, Threefiveindia stumbled badly but quickly recovered as Awesome Speed and Navy Hymn went for the early lead. Noholdingback Bear settled just off the top pair.Things tightened for Noholdingback Bear entering the far turn, and Da Silva eased him back. He moved up between horses on the turn, then took the lead in mid-stretch and drew off to win by 1-1/4 lengths while only feeling Da Silvas whip late.We got squeezed back a little, but it wasnt that bad, Da Silva said. My horse was very relaxed and I just waited for the stretch. I always had a lot of horse.Noholdingback Bear paid $8.20 to win as a slight favorite over Threefiveindia, who, after his stumble, took up a stalking position along the inner rail and then finished third, beaten a half-length for second by late-running Mind Your Biscuits. Awesome Speed was fourth.Noholdingback Bear was timed in 1:09.61. The fractions were 22.14 and 45.29.Noholdingback Bear raced at Gullfstream Park early this year, finishing second in the Grade 3 Hutcheson, fourth in the Grade 2 Swale, and second in the Texas Glitter.dddddddddddd.I think the difference is now hes a better, stronger horse, DePaulo said.Noholdingback Bear came into the Gallant Bob off a third-place finish in the seven-furlong Kings Bishop at Saratoga.Seven-eighths may be a little far for him, DePaulo said.The Breeders Cup Sprint, like the Gallant Bob, will be run at six furlongs.Alphabet Soup: Grannys Kitten by a neckJockey Florent Geroux, aboard Grannys Kitten, cut the corner into the stretch of the Alphabet Soup Handicap at Parx Racing on Saturday, then outfought determined pacesetter Ill Call to win the $100,000 turf stakes for Pennsylvania-breds by a neck.Sent off favored in the 10-horse field, Grannys Kitten paid $4.80 and was timed in 1:43.21 for 1-1/16 miles. The Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey-owned 4-year-old is now 4 for 14 in his career. He is trained by Mike Maker.Ill Call set a steady pace of 24.27, 48.94, and 1:12.75 while being stalked by 7-2 Uncle Dave. Ill Call fought back when the winner came up inside of him entering the stretch and was still trying hard at the finish. Uncle Dave finished third, 2-1/4 lengths behind Ill Call. It was another two lengths back to 9-2 Edge of Reality in fourth.The Alphabet Soup was the first stakes win for Grannys Kitten, who in his prior three starts had finished third in the Robellino Stakes at Penn National, second in the Leemat at Presque Isle, and second in the Mystic Lake Mile at Canterbury Park. 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