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Kia Nurse · Through one half, the Los Angeles Sparks’ goal of finally upstaging the Connecticut Sun appeared to be trending upwards as they held a one-score lead and the final possession before intermission. Maintaining a veteran-like focus until victory could be confirmed, Kia Nurse used her accuracy to guarantee that at least one thing — the buzzer — would be beaten. Taking a handoff towards the top of the 3-point arc with only three seconds remaining, Nurse, with calmness and poise, offers first a subtle pump fake, eliminating Marina Mabrey’s contest before burying a 31-footer to the crowd’s delight. Nurse got the absolute most out of a limited shot diet, scoring nine points (on a perfect three-of-three shooting), along with two rebounds, one assist, and two 3-pointers. A late-game run by Connecticut would ultimately deal a defeat, though Nurse’s efforts helped Los Angeles remain on-brand as a pesky, competitive matchup for one of the WNBA’s elites on September 8, 2024. · State of Mint