The Minnesota Lynx had been on a tear, but bring a three-game losing streak into Thursday night’s home game against the Los Angeles Sparks.

Despite a career-high 35 points by Napheesa Collier, the Lynx couldn’t erase a 20-point deficit Tuesday night in an eventual 82-73 loss in Atlanta.

Click the video box on this page to watch Lynx guards Kayla McBride and Tiffany Mitchell discuss Thursday’s game against Atlanta, losing Rachel Banham to injury and the massive step Lynx star Napheesa Collier has taken this season

They did trim Atlanta’s lead to one, but were unable to complete the rally.

The Lynx are amid a rollercoaster season. After starting the season with six straight losses, they went on to win nine of their next twelve games – including five straight – before falling into their current three-game losing streak.

Then enter the game against the Sparks in seventh place. They are 3.5 games out of fourth place, but also just 4.5 games ahead of last place in the jam-packed WNBA standings.

The team also announced Thursday morning guard Rachel Banham will be out several weeks after being diagnosed with a broken thumb. The Lynx announcement said the Gopher-legend and Lakeville-native does not need surgery and will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks.