Los Angeles, CA- LA hosted Phoenix tonight on USC’s home court, at the Galen Center, instead of Crypto Arena.com for a highly anticipated matchup as both teams are currently seeded in 10th and 11th, respectively, on top of trading recently with each other that included the Sparks former leading scorer, Kelsey Plum, whom they perhaps could’ve used tonight after dismal shooting from their starting backcourt, leading to a down to wire defeat, 94-87.
Without Plum, whom missed her share of games before being traded, the Sparks are in search constantly of guards that can step up and fill those MVP numbers “KP” once contributed, particularly scoring, which tonight, Rae Burrell, Erica Wheeler and Ariel Atkins whom are all veteran two-way guards weren’t able to rise to the occasion. Despite playing somewhere Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts preferred they didn’t.
“I mean we appreciate our fans coming here and this was not ideal for us to be here,” said coach Roberts, “We appreciate USC and them making it happen. We’d prefer to be in Crypto, but we are certainly grateful for our fans and sorry we didn’t get them the win.”
Sparks were sorry for letting this game slip away after being up to enter halftime, 47-44.
Neither teams could build a comfortable lead as there were 15 lead changes and highest lead for both teams were seven.
“There’s no ‘gimme games’ in this league for anyone, whether you’re first or last,” Coach Roberts said during pregame presser. “Every game is hard…”
The Sparks incurred back-to-back home game losses to make it nine in total out of their past 11 games. Still, there are no confessions, or apparent signs shown by that indicates tanking the remainder of this season.
Dearica Hamby and Rae Burrell both led the Sparks with 19 points. Nneka Ogwumike almost landed herself a triple double, adding 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
The Sparks will travel to New York tomorrow to face the Liberty on Thursday, August 13, whom might play a similar approach to the Mercury when it comes to defending LA’s frontcourt.
“New York zones, too, so we’re going to see it,“ Coach Roberts said. “We’re good enough. I mean, it’s frustrating because I know we’re better than that. But, that’s just the nature. That’s why you do go zone…and we’re not great when we slow down.”