Candace Parker was the No. 1 overall pick in 2008, the 2008 Rookie of the Year, the 2008 and 2013 MVP. She has made four appearances on the All-WNBA First Team and three trips to the WNBA All-Star Game. Her accomplishments are many, and accolades plentiful. But until Sunday afternoon, Parker had never played in a WNBA Finals game.

Naturally, there were some butterflies as she stepped onto the Target Center floor and prepared for the biggest game of her professional career. “At first obviously there’s some nerves,” she admitted postgame.

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But once the ball is tipped, there’s little time for anxiety, especially when facing a team as skilled and as disciplined as the Minnesota Lynx. And it didn’t take long for Parker’s nerves to fade away, as she extended for a big block on the Lynx’s second possession that started an easy fastbreak for her teammate Nneka Ogwumike. By the end of the first quarter, Parker already had six points and three rebounds, and the Sparks had a 21-18 lead.

“You kind of get lost in the game, and just trying to execute, and obviously we had to take it possession by possession because you never know what’s going to happen,” Parker said. “I’ve learned that in this journey.”

That journey has seen Parker take the Sparks to the playoffs every year but one during her career, including three Western Conference Finals — which, in 2012, ended with the Lynx knocking out the Sparks on a late jumper.

MORE: Candace Parker’s Journey to the Finals

It was poetic then, that in Parker’s first taste of WNBA Finals action, her Sparks would give the Lynx a measure of revenge, as Alana Beard’s buzzer-beater sealed the win for Los Angeles. Personally, Parker had a strong game, finishing with 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals.

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With the win, Parker and Co. are just two games away from clinching the Sparks’ first championship since 2002. In another bit of poetry, one of the leaders of that ’02 championship team, Lisa Leslie, who was in the house for the WNBA Top 20@20 celebration, is due some credit for L.A.’s win Sunday afternoon.

When asked if Leslie’s presence provided confidence, Parker said, “I think so. She had some words during the ceremony for me.

“I think just in general, everybody being there really kind of motivated us to play our best, and it was kind of cool to look up in the stands and see different players that have won championships. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

What they’re trying to do is win a championship, and thanks to Parker’s play and leadership, both in Game 1 and all season long, the Sparks are closer to that goal than they have been in over a decade. Tuesday night, they’ll try to move one step closer as they take on the Lynx in Game 2.