What happened: New York holds a 55-43 lead over Los Angeles at the break in their Court Origins meeting on ESPN. Satou Sabally leads all first-half scorers with 11 points, while Marine Johannès has added 10 off a pair of threes. The two sides marked the night with a recreation of the ceremonial tip from the WNBA's 1996 inaugural game, 30 years on.

Why it matters: The result carries weight in a tightening standings picture, with New York at 12-6 and Los Angeles at 9-8 entering the night. A double-digit halftime cushion gives the visitors control of a game between two clubs jockeying for postseason position. Sabally, back to pacing the scoring, has been a focal point of New York's recent run.

What to watch: Watch whether Los Angeles can trim the deficit out of the locker room, and whether Sabally and Johannès keep the perimeter shooting humming into the second half.