Lynx play 2017 championship video during Sparks practice ahead of season opener

The Minnesota Lynx kicked off the 2018 season on Sunday afternoon, hosting the Los Angeles Sparks in a rematch of last year’s WNBA Finals.

Since the Lynx won the championship last year — marking their fourth in the last seven seasons — Minnesota held its championship ring ceremony on Sunday at the Target Center before the game.

The Sparks, like any team in their situation, probably weren’t going to be on the court for the ring ceremony — and if they were, they likely wouldn’t be paying too much attention. After all, they already lived the series, and things didn’t turn out in their favor.

So when the Sparks took the court for their pregame practice on Sunday morning, the Lynx staff decided it was the perfect time to test out their ring ceremony video — ensuring that the Sparks got the full effect of the ceremony whether they showed up to the real one or not.

The two teams have battled back and forth over the past several seasons, and have met in the WNBA Finals two years in a row, creating perhaps the biggest rivalry in the league.

And with a new season kicking off that will likely feature a deep playoff run by both teams come this fall, it only seems fitting that the Lynx take the opportunity now to remind Los Angeles who currently sits atop the league.

The video, though, didn’t shake the Sparks. As time expired, Los Angeles guard Chelsea Gray drove through the lane and made a game-winning layup as time expired, giving the Sparks the 77-76 win — and perhaps a little revenge, too.

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