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Team USA Victory

By
Christopher Floch
-
Photo by Michael Floch / fi360 News

Paris, France- Stephen Curry had his breakthrough performance in these Paris Olympic Games when the United States dreams of gold were on life support against Serbia on Thursday, trailing by thirteen points headed into the fourth quarter. His 36 points spearhead a remarkable comeback, as the United States defeated Serbia 95-91 in their historic Semifinal, at the thunderous Bercy Arena in Paris. 

Awaiting Team USA is a matchup against France for the Gold Medal on Saturday, August 10th. France knocked off Germany 73-69, in the day’s other gripping Semifinal game. 

The Semifinal was a shootout from the jump. The U.S. trailed from the 5:46 mark until the final minutes of the game. The Americans had not trailed by more than 8 points in any game until the second quarter of tonight’s matchup (25-37, 8:17), and after a Nikola Jokic and-1 score, Serbia took its largest lead of 17 points (42-25) with 6:24 to play in the second quarter.

The U.S. trailed 63-76 to start the fourth quarter but worked themselves back into the game thanks to Embiid and Curry. As the U.S. were behind 75-82 with 6:03 to play, Embiid went on a personal 7-2 run to bring the game within one possession (82-84). After a stop, the Americans tied the game at 84 on a James driving layup. The Americans took their first lead, 87-86, on a Curry three, his ninth of the night, with just over 2:24 remaining.  

If Team USA cruising through its first four games lulled you into a false sense of the Americans suddenly expanding the gap on their competitors, that gap just isn’t there anymore. Yes, the United States has the best squad by a sizable margin. 

But against the best of the rest, it is still not enough of a margin to avoid vulnerability. Team USA played a mediocre half, Serbia played an awesome one. 

Photo by Michael Floch / fi360 News

The U.S. trailed 76-63 to start the fourth quarter, as  stomachs churned of fans of the Red, White and Blue as the dream of Gold was slipping through their hands. It was a glorious comeback, as Team USA saved the best for last.

 Working themselves back into the game thanks to Embiid and Curry. As the U.S. were behind 75-82 with 6:03 to play, Embiid went on a personal 7-2 run to bring the game within one possession (82-84). After a stop, the Americans tied the game at 84 on a James driving layup. The Americans took their first lead, 87-86, on a Curry three, his ninth of the night, with just over 2:24 remaining.  

Serbia scared the U.S. lead by bringing the game within one possession on two occurrences in the final minute of the fourth quarter, but the game was capped off by Curry, who sunk 2 free throws with 8 seconds left putting the United States ahead 95-91 for good. 

The Americans saw the Serbians shoot the lights out from behind the arc through the first three quarters. Serbia went 15-of-30 from deep before entering the fourth frame. If the USA had hopes of winning the game, they had to slow down the long-range shooting from the opponent. 

Serbia was held 0-of-9 from 3-point range in the final frame. The U.S. defense also caused 3 of Serbia’s 7 total turnovers in the last 10 minutes.

 LeBron Jame grabbed his second Olympic career triple-double with 16 points (6-9 FG, 2-4 3FG, 2-3 FT), 12 rebounds and 10 assists. He led the team in rebounding and passing in the game.  

His sensational  triple-double was the fourth in Olympic history and he is the first player to record multiple triple-doubles in an Olympic career. Joel Embiid followed up his 14-point showing in the quarterfinals against Brazil with 19 points (8-11 FG, 2-3 3FG), 4 rebounds and 2 assists against Serbia.

Photo by Michael Floch / fi360 News

This game was the Steph Show, as Curry delivered a performance for the ages, adding to his Hall of Fame legacy. His 36 points are the second-most by an American at the Olympics. Carmelo Anthony holds the record with 37 points (13-16 FG, 10-12 3FG) against Nigeria in the 2012 Olympic Games.

 Additionally, his 9 3-pointers are the second-most ever by an American at The Games and most ever by a player in an elimination game. 

Team USA moves on to face Team France, who will have a significant homecourt advantage on Saturday, August 10th. 

Everything will be on the line, as the United States looks for their fifth straight Gold Medal. It is a rematch of the Tokyo games final, a fiercely close game the U.S. pervailed. 

USA vs. France is Saturday afternoon. Tipoff is 12:30 p.m. the game will air on NBC. 

USA Routs Serbia As Kevin Durant Shines In Olympic Opener

By
Christopher Floch
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Kevin Durant transformed into his Captain America costume, and was magnificent in Team USA’s rout of Serbia, 110-84 on Sunday. Having missed Training Camp, Durant was practically flawless in his return. Scoring 21 of his game high 23 points, incluiding a dazzling fadeaway jumper at the end of the first half. 

LeBron James added 21 points, nine assists and  seven rebounds in the first game of these Paris Games. With Coach Kerr, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant leading the way, this team resembles the Golden State Warriors. 

Dub Nation means the three point shot. Team USA was red hot from beyond the arc, knocking down 18 three pointers while shooting an eye popping 56% from downtown. 

The Olympic opener served, at times, like a broad display of renewed American might. Yes, Team USA has won four consecutive golds, but the last international competition didn’t go so well. The U.S. finished fourth at the World Cup last summer; Serbia, by the way, was runner up.

On this day, Curry, 36, and Edwards, 22, both scored 11 points in their Olympic debuts. Jrue Holiday, a returning gold medalist, scored 15 points with three 3-pointers, and another gold medalist from those Tokyo games, Devin Booker, added 12 points.

Durant’s return to the rotation meant Jayson Tatum, a three-time first-team All-NBA selection at least for the first game, was out. Tatum averaged 6.4 points and shot 47 percent during the exhibition season. Booker kept his spot in Kerr’s starting lineup, but how long that lasts is a fair question.

“It’s really hard in a 40-minute game to play more than 10 guys, and with Kevin coming back, I just went to the combinations that I felt would make the most sense,” Kerr said. “It seems crazy. I thought I was crazy when I looked at everything and determined these are the lineups I want to get to. Jason’s first-team All-NBA three years in a row, he’s one of the best players in the world.” 

Team USA’s next game is against South Sudan at 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday. South Sudan beat Puerto Rico on Sunday.

Nneka steers the Storm to victory over the Sparks

By
Jevone Moore
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Los Angeles, CA – The Seattle Storm was too much for the Los Angeles Sparks in a 89-83 defeat at Crypto.com Arena. Despite keeping pace closing out quarters well they still didn’t have enough to stop the Storm.

Jewell Loyd led her team scoring 30 points, 7 assist and 6 rebounds from her guard position. Temmate Nneka Ogumike had double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds another solid performance for 13th year veteran.

Jackson (2) 16 points scored today. Photo by Full Image 360

“Nneka willed that team to the finish line today.” said Sparks coach Curt Miller “Talked to the team let them know how proud of our growth and play.

Late in fourth quarter Storm tripled team Hamby in the paint and forced a pass to Stevens who dropped a much need 3 pointer to give Sparks a 73-71 lead.  Then Loyd answered quickly by scoring and getting a foul to take lead back 74-73 5:50 in the game.

11 point run by the Storm was enough to frustrate the Sparks and start to put the game out of reach.  

“We came up short with a team who has a clean injury report, she was huge for us tonight (Azura),” said Miller.

Going into the 4th quarter the Sparks were still in striking distance down 64-61. It was a real balance attack which help the Sparks stay in the game till this point. Jackson still playing big had huge points even few hustle points through out the game.  

This Sparks team continues to find ways to score in first three quarter but still needs a leader to step up once team clamp down on Hamby. The return of Azura Stevens has been very helpful she led today with 24 points shooting 3-5 from the three-point land.

Rae Burrell from the off the Sparks bench had 18 points playing starter minutes making the most shooting 5-7 (71%). Making a case to get more and more minutes. Hamby did score 15 points with 9 rebounds.

Stevens scored 24 points shooting a three over the defender. Photo by Full Image 360

“At this level players care more about closing the game verse starting,” said Miller when asked can Burell be starter or best to be the 6th player.

Ezi Magbegor raced down the court in closing second of the half only to be rewarded by a great entry pass form Diggins-Smith to get layup and 41-37 lead at half. The Sparks were battling to keep the game close.

Storm guard strong scoring accounting for half teams points Loyd and Horston both with 10 points each and combined 8 assists. Looking for more opportunities as the game continued.

The Storm came out strong to start the game behind guard Horston who dropped 8 points. By the end of the quarter the Sparks had clawed back to only trail by 2 points 19-17. Rae Burrell off the bench two three pointers to led her team along with Hamby who also scored 6 points quick 4 rebounds.

The return of Nneka Ogumike to Crypto.com Arena was big even with it being Sparky’s Birthday. The Storm came into today’s game as 5th Seed in WNBA.

The teams will have a short break for WNBA All-Star game in Phoenix followed by an Olympic break. Some of the WNBA top players will play for Team USA and for 3-3 USA Women’s team.  

Team USA Knocks Off Canada 86-72 in Team USA Showcase

By
Christopher Floch
-
Photo by Michael Floch

An early double-digit deficit dissipated, morphing into a lead that would not be relinquished as the USA Basketball Men’s National Team defeated Canada 86-72 at the USA Basketball Showcase in T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday night in Las Vegas. The USA’s star-studded squad – bound for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 – took the floor for the first time competitively, putting on a show for a record-breaking basketball crowd of 20,757.

The festivities marked the first of five exhibitions the Americans will play before the Games begin July 26. Australia, Serbia, South Sudan and Germany each await the United States on July 15, 17, 20 and 22, respectively.

“Good first game for us, really just getting started after four days of practice,” said head coach Steve Kerr.  “You could see the rust from the offensive end, a lot of turnovers in that first half especially, but I love the defensive intensity and the work on the glass. So it was a good first effort.”

Canada rolled out to an 11-1 lead in the early stages of the first quarter, with the United States trying to get the 3 going but missing their first four attempts from deep. Stephen Curry ripped the lid off the basket with a 3-pointer. 

And as starters eventually gave way to the bench, the offensive tide turned. Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum and Bam Adebayo turned in successful drives to the rim, punctuated by a dunk from Adebayo to cut the Canada lead to 14-10. It evolved into a 14-2 second quarter run, putting the U.S. out in front for good.

The United States entered the locker room with some breathing room, holding its then-largest lead of the game at 41-33. It was a lopsided battle on the boards in the first half – the U.S outrebounded Canada 33 to 17 and shot over 50% from the field.

Enter the Curry show. The four-time NBA champion and first-time Olympian took the contest into his own hands out of the break, sandwiching a layup with a pair of 3s in just over a minute.

This is always a fun format when you get this collection of guys together,” Curry said. “And it’s a test and it’s a challenge to try to figure out the chemistry, the flow and the rhythm, especially on offense.”

Canada, the first ever non-U.S. country to roster 10 active NBA players, submitted a trio of double-digit scorers for the evening in the form of Barrett, Dillon Brooks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Barrett delivered a 3-pointer and dunk, respectively, on consecutive offensive possessions to trim the Canada deficit to as low as five in the third quarter. But the Canadians wouldn’t get any closer, as some new guard-old guard synergy from the U.S. quickly reset the tone.

Booker and LeBron James responded to the resurgence by penetrating the paint with ease and re-establishing the lead. And when it came to style points – fitting for a showcase – the NBA’s all-time scoring leader didn’t disappoint.

Photo by Michael Floch

On a talent-laden roster that’s drawn comparisons to The Dream Team, depth was key for the Americans. They got a pair of double-digit scorers both from their starting five and off the bench, with Curry and Jrue Holiday delivering 12 and 11, while Anthony Davis and Edwards pitched in 10 and 13 apiece in support.

Holiday was a major contributor down the stretch, keeping the offensive tempo high and rattling off nine points in the final frame alone.

“He’s one of the best defenders in the league – not just on-ball, but off-ball, his help, his anticipation,” Kerr said. “I thought that was one of the keys to the game was just the collective ball pressure that our guys had out there, and Jrue obviously leads the way in that regard.”

In addition to a culmination of a five-day stay in Las Vegas – the first four spent in training camp at the Mendenhall Center – Wednesday night was a celebration. Legends of Olympics teams past were honored on court in combination with USA Basketball’s 50th Anniversary, while celebrities lined the courtside seats.

“It was cool to be a fan for a hot second, and looking at all the history of USAB on both the men’s and women’s side – all the people you looked up to growing up in the game,” Curry said. “We’ve had iconic moments, legendary moments, and have shaped what USA Basketball really means and the dominance we’ve had.”

With its only pre-Olympics competition on home soil now complete, USA Basketball is off to Abu Dhabi in preparation for its next showcase against Australia on Monday. 

Sparks can’t keep pace with Lynx

By
Deyla Davis
-
Photo by Deyla Davis / fi360 News

The Sparks were no match for the Minnesota Lynx in last night’s game. They struggled to get defensive stops, execute plays, and make shots. The Lynx capitalized on the Sparks weaknesses and dominated inside and outside the paint, and on the defensive end for a 82-67 victory.

Kayla McBride, Dorka Juhasz, and Bridget Carleton recorded double-digit points to secure the
win against the Sparks. Carleton was hot from three, with all her points coming from behind the arc. Alanna Smith and Juhasz added six rebounds apiece. Sparks All-Star Dearica Hamby was once again the leading scorer with 18 points and eight rebounds. Azura Stevens added nine points and six rebounds for the Sparks.

The first quarter began with back-and-forth baskets for both teams. The Sparks started off strong with a nice elbow shot from guard Aari McDonald and a smooth jumper from Stevens as she started her second game back from injury. The Lynx quickly matched the Sparks high energy with post domination from Carleton and Juhasz.

From there, the Lynx went on a six-point run, forcing the Sparks into a timeout. The high-pressure defense from the Lynx resulted in continuous turnovers for the Sparks. Lynx bench players Natisha Heideman and Alissa Pili immediately impacted the game, hitting deep threes and shifty buckets through traffic. They continued to break down the Sparks defense with fast-paced movement, screens, and cuts to extend the lead to double digits, going into the second quarter with a score of 29-16.

Photo by Deyla Davis / fi360 News

Layshia Clarendon rekindled the momentum for the Sparks as the second quarter began with two consecutive shots, but Cecilia Zandalasini was unstoppable from behind the arc. Hamby and Stevens were able to connect for high-low action buckets, but Carleton had a three-point response for the Sparks. The Sparks struggled to get stops and translate defensive stops into baskets. The Lynx went on an 11-point run with long shots from McBride and Carleton. The lead was extended into double figures going into halftime, with a score of 51-35.

“When you’re down 16 at halftime, it’s not insurmountable, but certainly that locker room
is disappointed when we walk in at halftime,” said Coach Miller.

McDonald hoped to start a momentum comeback for the Sparks with an easy layup for two, but the Lynx’s shots continued to fall as McBride hit a long jumper to maintain the double-digit lead. The back-and-forth baskets between the teams started again. Rickea Jackson hit a much-needed jumper, and Hamby showed her power with a strong finish down low.

Lynx guard Courtney Williams was hot from midrange, and Juhasz continued to display her length and skill advantage in the post. The Lynx went on a nine-point run, pressuring the Sparks into a timeout. The Sparks returned with more energy as Stevens and Hamby connected for two and Zia Cooke hit a corner three, but they couldn’t cut the lead.

The last stretch of the game belonged to the Lynx. Pili hit a corner jumper to make it a 21-point lead. The Sparks picked up the defensive pressure, causing the Lynx into multiple shot-clock violations, but were unable to convert stops into points. The Sparks were sped up by the Lynx defense, adding more turnovers and failed shot attempts to the stat sheet. The Lynx’s chemistry, play execution, defensive pressure, and made shots helped them secure a 15-point win.

“They outplayed us, they out-executed us, and certainly would have to say outcoached
us,” said Coach Miller. “They did what we feared they would do.”

The Sparks will have a two-day break to regroup and adjust as they face the Dallas Wings in their territory on Saturday, July 13.

Sparks fall short in a hard-fought battle against the Mercury

By
Deyla Davis
-

Los Angeles, CA – Coming off a big win against back-to-back WNBA champions, the Las
Vegas Aces, the Los Angeles Sparks struggle to remain consistent and suffer a loss against
the Phoenix Mercury.


WNBA All-Star Dearica Hamby was the leading scorer for the Sparks last night with a
team-high of 25 points and nine rebounds. Sparks rookie Rickea Jackson added 22 points
and six rebounds to help the team in this close-knit game. Natasha Cloud and Kahleah
Copper had an unstoppable performance, which secured the 84-78 win. Cloud put up
career-high numbers, recording 31 points and nine rebounds, going over 50% from three.
Copper was right behind her with 25 points and 10 rebounds but greatly struggled from
long range, going 0-5 from three.


The first quarter was a back-and-forth matchup between both teams. Hamby and Cloud
began the game-long battle with consistent scoring. Hamby and Jackson connected for a
quick layup while Cloud answered from behind the arc with three three-point shots.


Jackson showed her strength with an and-one play and a nailed free throw. Sparks guard
Aari McDonald navigated her way through the defense for a tough floater. Cloud finished
the quarter with 13 points, nine of them from three. Hamby added six points and four
rebounds, displaying her dominance down low. The Sparks trailed 15-25 as the first quarter
concluded.


The Sparks entered the second quarter with high momentum and game-shifting energy,
going on a six-point run. Hamby showed her undeniable power down low with strong
finishes and secured rebounds. Azurá Stevens made a quick impact on the court with an
anticipated steal, leading her to an open-floor layup, forcing the Mercury into a timeout.


“Her length is a factor,” said Coach Miller about Stevens’ return. “She gives us another
offensive weapon. She can help space the floor. We got to be patient with her.”


The Mercury made defensive adjustments to cool off the Sparks with high wing traps.
Copper drove down the lane for a quick and easy layup. Jackson extended her range
outside the key with a corner three, and Layshia Clarendon came down the right for two as
the Sparks kept their energy high. Brittney Griner and Cloud connected for high-low action,
while Copper’s quickness continued to get her to the basket for easy baskets. Zia Cooke
added a three for the Sparks. Stevens sealed the quarter with a one-leg fadeaway jumper,
cutting the score to 39-42.

Jackson

Hamby and Jackson took control of the third quarter. Hamby added an easy layup, while
Jackson continued to show her versatility inside and outside the key. On the other end,
Copper maneuvered through traffic for a left-handed layup. Jackson muscled her way to
the basket with another and-one layup and a quick two from Rae Burrell. Returning from
timeout, Sophia Cunningham came out firing from three, but Jackson made it her show to
end the third. She hit a three-pointer from the top of the key and a smooth two through
traffic, closing the gap to two points as the quarter ended with a 63-65 score.
“[The mentality was] being aggressive,” Jackson said. “Phoenix is a physical team. You let
them hit you first, they’re going to try and punk you the whole game, so I knew I had to be
physical back.”


The fourth quarter was a strong battle for both teams. Cooke hit a mid-range jumper to tie
the score, but Cloud matched that. Clarendon found Stevens for two, and Hamby added a
deep three, giving the Sparks their first lead since the first quarter. The Sparks’ defense was
unable to stop Cloud’s high-scoring abilities as she hit another one from three. KiKi Herbert
added three to put the Mercury up, 78-76, with two minutes left. From that moment, the
game belonged to the Mercury. Cloud and Copper nailed clutch free throws, securing the
78-84 win against the Sparks.


The Sparks will play the Minnesota Lynx at home, Tuesday, July 9, with hopes of execution
to record a win.

The Mercury show numbers can be deceiving defeating the Sparks

By
Jevone Moore
-
Jackson shoots over Griner. (Photo by Jevone Moore)

Los Angeles, CA – The numbers can say a lot but not always tell you the whole story. We will get one side of the story with the final score Phoenix Mercury 84 the LA Sparks 78. The numbers predicted this a slim victory for the Sparks instead.

“That was disappointing, they found a way to win an ugly game at the end,” said Sparks coach Curt Miller, “I’m really frustrated we couldn’t close that game.”

This Western Conference match-up showcased the intriguing world of stats and numbers.

Kahleah Copper, in her 8th season, leads the Mercury on the season, averaging 22.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. Dearica Hamby, a walking double-double for the Sparks, is averaging 18.8 points and 10.5 rebounds.

The early look at this game the Sparks held a slim edge being favored for a Sunday afternoon victory over the Mercury. The Sparks have been able to sleep in their own beds after that long East Coast road trip.

McDonald looking for space (Photo by Jevone Moore)

If the playoffs started today the Mercury sit as 6th seed with a 10-10 record.

After the first quarter of play the Mercury guard Natasha Cloud took over hitting 3-4 from three-point line with 13 points as her team had the 25-15 lead. Now Sparks Hamby had 6 points to lead her team while rookie Jackson struggled being guarded by Griner and her length with 7-footer wingspan.

Griner found herself playing Jackson again today like the previous matchup. Jackson did score career high 22 points with 6 rebounds and Griner had 5 fouls.

Cooper struggled early only getting points from the free-throw line to start the game. By the end of the game she began to find ways to get her shots off finishing with 25 points. She will her points shooting 11-13 from the free throw line making the referees blow their whistle.

At halftime, the Mercury held a 42-39-point lead despite allowing the Sparks to dominate the paint with 28/14. The Mercury was the hotter team at three-point line shooting 36.4% vs only 16.7%.

Copper was slowed down by the Sparks with ball front defense but that allowed Cloud to enforce her will with 16 points for her team. Hamby stayed steady with 12 points scoring 6 points each quarter.

Hamby has been a strong on the stat sheet finishing with 25 points to led the team and 1 rebound shy of a double-double.

Hamby drives to the basket. (Photo by Jevone Moore)

The Stats can’t always predict stand out performances, as each game brings its own drama and narrative. The Mercury were without guard Diana Taurasi. With that slight change in comes Cloud with the hot hand.

“No one going to tell Natasha she’s not the best player on the court anytime.” Said coach Miller.

Cloud knocking down a shot. (Photo by Jevone Moore)
Overall shooting stats indicate the game could have been a larger loss for the Sparks, with field goal percentages at 45.8% for the Mercury and 38.7% for the Sparks, and three-point percentages at 33.3% vs. 20.8%.

Stay tune for a normal game analysis soon.  

In Overtime Sparks show they can grow up before our eyes

By
Jevone Moore
-
Photo by Full Image 360

Los Angeles, CA- The thrill of excitement was on display while Dearica Hamby kicked and screamed like a new born baby after making an And1 after a switch on defense and great entry pass. The Sparks then had 95-90 lead with 24 seconds.

This one play showed what they couldn’t do before, be patient and work the offense for the right play. The Sparks held on with the 98-93 victory to take 2/3 season series lead.

Sparks (Photo by Full Image 360)

A’ja Wilson in the paint goes up strong with 15.2 on the clock to be the shot coach wanted to take the lead, but Sparks Stephanie Talbot drops a 7-footer to tie game 84-84 to send game to overtime.

“It means a lot to me (beat her old team),” said Sparks Hamby, “I feel I could have done better.”

In closing minutes, a technical foul was called on Sparks coach Miller, trying to do anything to motivate his team towards a victory. They did get offensive rebound to keep the ball in play allowing Hamby to be fouled and make 1 of 2 from the line making it 82-82 37 seconds.  

The Sparks found themselves in a familiar place leading the game going into the 4th quarter with 70-60 lead on the Aces. Aari McDonald has been leading the way against the twin towers of Vegas. Her outside shooting has been keeping the defense little honest.

“We keep talking about building and we had lost by single possession before.” said Hamby

Wilson has been a force to recon with since Sparks have no real answer to stop her with 23 point in the first three quarters of play.

By the 5:40 left in the game the Aces had snatched the lead 75-74 from the Sparks. The Sparks at lease moved the ball around some and didn’t fall totally in love with the three-point line earlier in the shot clock like Tuesday night.

The three ball did tie game back 79-79 with Sparks Talbert hitting a key basket with less 3 minutes to play. While the Aces continued to pound the ball down low through Wilson to force defense to close down.

The tone of the game was established fast with Wilson blocking Aari McDonald who thought she had a clear lane to basket only to get blocked at the rim. Before Sparks coach Miller could call his first timeout the Sparks were down 7-0.

Sparks guard Rae Burrell came in off the bench early to give a spark and shot an three to get team to back to 7-7 game forcing Aces coach Hammon to call her first timeout for this game of runs.

Photo by Full Image 360

The two-time defending WNBA champions Las Vegas came into todays game on a 6-game winning streak looking to push it 7. They are just one game behind Seattle for 4th spot in the league standings. Aces were more worried about getting these last few wins before the Olympic break.

The Sparks will have Saturday off before getting back on the court Sunday at 4pm verse Phoenix Mercury.

Sparks can’t finish off the Mystics

By
Jevone Moore
-
Photo by Dylan Stewart

Los Angeles, CA – The Mystics took their first lead of the game at 80-77 with only 1:18 left in the game looked to steal it away from the clutches of home game crowd on this first of 4 home stand. At a blink of an eye the final buzzer sounded with a 82-80 victory.

Shatori Walker-Kimbroughled the Mystics with 17 huge points off the bench along with four other teammates scoring in double figures. The Mystics just kept hanging around and having runs that pushed the Sparks.

Before the Sparks could blink the Mystics cut the lead down to 4 points with just under 8 minutes in the game. They just knocked down shots and disturbed Sparks offensive with great on ball defense. Forward Myisha Hines-Allen had a good rest to start the 4th and came in still leading her team with 15 points.

Photo by Dylan Stewart

With a last second three pointer Stephanie Talbot led the Sparks with 17 points for the game. Dearica Hamby double-double was only enough to add to her seasonal stats. She scored 16 points along with 11 rebounds.

“We stop moving,” said coach Curt Miller “Our veterans have to lead and get team settled down.”

By the end of third the Sparks had a commanding 12-point lead to start the fourth quarter.

Coach Miller needed his team to stick to the basics and finish strong. The balance scoring allowed anyone to have a hot hand to close it out. With the Mystics taking away Hamby from the offensive end by doubling.

The Sparks held a 5-point lead at the half 43-38 with both teams mirroring each other on the stat sheet both with 6 first half turnovers and +2 Mystics rebound advantage.

Coach Miller was able to get a spark of offensive from the bench with Rae Burrell who hit 3-pointer to force a timeout with 4:30 in half and 32-25 Sparks lead.

Coming out of timeout Sparks shot another big three to continue good shooting in the half. But that false confidence came to hunt the team as they let 14-point lead go by the waste side.

Mystics guard Ariel Atkins was the main focal point in the offense playbook of high screen and roll to try and have the Sparks loose contact to open up for a free shot. They did tie the game at 36-36 with 1:36 left in the half.

Rookie Rickea Jackson dropped a nice 3-pointer early to push 15-11 lead on fast break with a catch and shoot to continue hot start. Even though Mystics ball movement was good it wasn’t resulting in shots made. She was able to did finish with 12 points with 5 rebounds as a solid contribution.

Sparks came in with 1-0 series lead verse the Mystics in their 3-game series. Now after tonight the series is tied 1-1.

The crowd had a special moment before the game to recognize LA Sparks Dearica Hamby has been named to 2024 WNBA All-Star Roster, her third time achieving the honor.

The Sparks will have an opportunity to get this taste of this loss wiped away Friday night when they face the Aces back here at Crypto.com.

J.J. Redick Named Head Coach Of The Los Angeles Lakers 

By
Christopher Floch
-

El Segundo, CA – The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a four-year contract with JJ Redick to make him the franchise’s next coach. Redick is a fifteen year NBA veteran, who was plucked from the ESPN booth to restore order for the beleaguered franchise. 

Lakers General Manager Pelinka became sold on Redick’s ability to connect with players and his basketball IQ and believes surrounding Redick with an elite coaching staff will help shorten his learning curve into his first coaching job, sources said.

Redick moved into the forefront of the search a week ago after the Lakers’ pursuit of Connecticut head coach Hurley was ultimately rebuffed.

The Lakers offered Hurley a six-year, $70 million contract-Hurley humiliated the Lakers by rejecting their offer-one of the premiere brands in sports suffered a black eye upon that stinging rejection. 

Redick has absolutely no coaching experience to speak of, fans and pundits are comparing him to Pat Riley. Redick hosts a podcast with LeBron James, so King James is pleased with the move. 

JJ Redick might be a better coach than the ghosts of Red Auerbach and John Wooden, but with the subpar roster, does it even matter? 

LeBron will be turning 40  Anthony Davis is in his prime, the Lakers need to make one of their signature off-Season deals for a superstar. 

The former Duke superstar played for the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans, Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks.

Perhaps Lakers icon Magic Johnson  put it best. “Will his transition from star basketball player to head coach end up like Steve Kerr, Jason Kidd, Ty Lue or Doc Rivers, or the former NBA players turned coaches who weren’t successful?” 

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