Los Angeles, CA – Azurá Stevens bounced back with a double-double performance after her team’s home loss against the Lynx last Thursday, tallying 21 points and 11 rebounds as the Los Angeles Sparks stopped the visiting Connecticut Sun 90-86. It’s only the Sparks second home win this season after an almost two month drought.
Stevens got off to a slow start on the offense while Rickea Jackson took on the main character role in the first quarter, scoring 11 points off 5-6 shooting, despite the Sun taking a three point lead to end the quarter, 30-27.
Coach Lynne Roberts spoke in the pregame presser of how Stevens is their team’s X-factor when she is scoring and defending the way that she’s capable of, whether it’s blocking or boarding rebounds on the defensive end.
“[Azura Stevens] has been amazing and just steady…I’ve described her as the linchpin,” coach Roberts said. “She’s for the team, she’s about the team, she’s about winning, so she’s been phenomenal for us.”
Stevens appreciates acknowledgment of her consistent performance while her coach continues an outcry of her being overlooked by mainstream media.
“From day one, they’ve just come in and just believed in me and I think we can see that on the court,” Stevens shared about coach Roberts and her teammates. “But, I don’t play for [recognition]. I play for the team. I play for the Sparks. I play for my family, myself, just to go out and put on a good show and be consistent.”
Stevens added, “So, respectfully, I don’t care what the media thinks. I’m just trying to do my job and play hard for these guys and for other people.”
Stevens recorded her seventh career double-double, while knocking down five triples for the game on 5-8 shooting behind the arc. Stevens remarked of her teammates making it easy for her by how they share the ball and find her in her spots on the floor.
Stevens scored the Sparks first eight points of the third, leading Los Angeles to a 55-50 advantage within first two minutes of the third. She had also two steals, one block and an assist.
Stevens got balanced support from her starting teammates, with Jackson, Dearica Hambry and Kelsey Plum scoring in double digits for a combined 80 of the team’s 90 total points.
4x All-Star Plum poured in 23 points after hitting 8-of-14 from the field, 3-of-7 from deep, and 4-of-4 from the foul line. She recorded her 537th triple, taking sole possession of 15th on the WNBA’s all-time three-pointers made list.
The Sparks have faced their share of ups and downs this season with roster changes, new coaching staff, and injuries, to find themselves, 7-14.
LA has one game left to close this three game homestead, Tuesday against Washington Mystic, before All-Star break. Plum will be Sparks’ sole representative as an All Star reserve.
“I think we’ve gotten better at our spacing. I’m someone that thrives in space. And so just trying to be patient early, give it up, and then, knowing that throughout the game people were hitting shots, and then the lane starts to open up and I’m able to make a wiggle,” Plum said. “So [I] was just trying to be patient and trust that it’s going to come, and then just try to be like an assassin and strike.”
