Written By: Molly Tepper
Twitter: mollytepper
The Los Angeles Sparks (10-15) were riding high after back-to-back wins at home. Starters were putting up big stats, and Cameron Brink’s return to the court was only a few games away. Nonetheless, the four-game road trip ahead would be a tricky test. Three of the four teams they were to face were over .500, meaning the road trip would be a measure of whether they could push through the adversity they had faced all season.
The test got the better of them as the Sparks dropped all four games on the trip. Here’s what the skid revealed:
The Sparks have had their fair share of prominent injuries this season. Kelsey Plum, LA’s biggest playmaker and scorer, has been out since the start of June with a return date that remains unknown. Cameron Brink has also continuously dealt with a lingering left ankle injury. Therefore, the Sparks’ lack of bench depth has contributed to their inability to close out games. Without depth, the pressure has been put on the starters who have to stay on the court for long minutes. There is no question that LA has been fighting, but by the end of the fourth quarter, they usually run out of gas, and their attention to detail diminishes.
In the first game against the Atlanta Dream (16-10), the Sparks fell behind early but stayed within striking distance. Multiple turnovers and the inability to finish at the rim by the Dream allowed the Sparks to go on an 8-0 run to open the fourth, culminating with Dearica Hamby giving LA its first lead since the second quarter. However, this game would reveal a theme that would follow the Sparks all week: a lack of bench leading to poor execution in crunch time. Down the stretch, an offensive foul by Ariel Atkins and turnovers by Hamby and Nneka Ogumike allowed Atlanta to capitalize, collecting four unanswered points and cruising to a 101-94 win.
Despite the loss, the Sparks starters all had excellent scoring performances. Erica Wheeler led the way with 20 points, Nneka Ogwumike added 19, and Rae Burrell had 18 for LA. The Sparks shot more efficiently than the Dream from the field and behind the arc, so what went wrong for them?
Ultimately, it comes down to depth. The Dream outscored the Sparks in bench points 21-10, and Atlanta used that edge to their advantage. Without Kelsey Plum, starters are required to play 36+ minutes in a game if they want to stay within reach. However, exhaustion can lead to careless ball handling, allowing the other team to pull away down the stretch.
After the loss, Nneka Ogwumike said:
“We were playing hard, but we could have dialed up on the execution of it all. That’s something that has been a point of emphasis for us, and the beauty of this league is that on Wednesday we can try to get that back.”
The Sparks looked solid through the first two and a half quarters against the Minnesota Lynx (20-6) in game two of their road stretch. With less than four minutes to go in the third, Cameron Brink, in her return game from injury, had the ball stripped from her by rookie standout Olivia Miles. This turnover led to an 8-0 run for the Lynx. Even still, the Sparks were able to crawl back to cut the lead to one by the end of the third period. Once again, it came down to the fourth quarter, and would the Sparks have enough left in them to continue to bank shots and avoid costly turnovers?
Los Angeles’s hustle was no match for Minnesota’s crisp ball movement and accuracy from deep. Midway through the fourth quarter, Miles left the game after rolling her left ankle with 18 points and three steals without a turnover. After Miles left, her teammates were able to pick up where she left off as Kayla McBride would score 10 of her 24 points, including a crucial bucket from long distance to secure their victory 96-87.
Once again, it was not a lack of scoring efficiency. It came down to taking care of the ball. LA had 20 turnovers to the home team’s 12. They were outmatched on points converted off turnovers, 30-14, making the margin for error too narrow to overcome.
After meeting seven days prior, the Sparks buckled up to take on the Sky (9-17), this time in Chicago. With five minutes to go in the first quarter, the Sparks already had eight turnovers. Somehow, they were up by one to end the quarter.
Chicago began to do a better job on the defensive glass, LA’s turnover struggles continued, and the Sky’s bench players, such as Gabriela Jaquez, played a crucial role driving to the rim and creating open shots for her teammates. By the half, Los Angeles was outscored 33-19 and had 12 turnovers. The Sparks’ bench had zero points while the Sky’s already had 23.
The Sparks also struggled to defend the Sky’s pick-and-roll. Poor communication fell between LA’s guards and centers as Kamilla Cardoso set good screens, freeing Natasha Cloud to drive to the rim. The Sky continuously ran this play when they needed buckets to maintain or increase their lead, carrying them to a 96-82 win over the Sparks.
Once again, despite a strong showing by the Sparks’ starters, including 18 points and 12 rebounds by Ogwumike, the away team’s lack of bench depth caught up with them, and costly turnovers only made it worse. They were outscored in bench points 28-14 and had 18 turnovers to the Sky’s nine.
Coach Lynne Roberts spoke on the turnovers after loss to Chicago:
“If you’re not going to have a great shooting night, you’ve got to win it through taking care of the ball and defending. And we didn’t do that.”
Nearing the end of the road trip, the Sparks faced off against the well-rested Dallas Wings (17-8). The Sparks kept the game within a few possessions heading into the fourth quarter. However, guarding Paige Buckers and staying out of foul trouble remained a test for LA. With three minutes left, and the Sparks only down four points, a turnover by Rae Burrell was converted into a layup for Odyssey Sims. Dearica Hamby then missed a layup, and on the other end, an offensive rebound by Azzi Fudd turned into a clutch bucket for Jessica Shepard, sealing the game for the Wings 90-82.
Coach Roberts doesn’t believe it’s time to panic. After the game down in Atlanta, she reflected on the state of her team:
“I’m not buying into the narrative that we’re having some brutal season. We’re not. This is a process. We’ve had adversity. We have new players, new all-stars. They’re fitting in. It takes time, and I know we are not in a patient industry, but I am not going to buy into the ‘oh what’s wrong,’ no, we’re just going to keep plowing through things. We are going to get healthy and keep moving forward. We are only halfway through. So, this will not be the story of the season.”
It has not been all bad for the Sparks this week in spite of the losses. All five starters have shown out every night. Nneka Ogwumike passed Lisa Leslie for the most points in the Sparks franchise history. In two of Cameron Brink’s three games back, she has put up double figures, even on a minutes restriction. Rae Burrell stepped up with a season-high 24 points against the Lynx. Even though Sparks fans may continuously feel discouraged coming up short, the team continues to prove they are capable, setting the groundwork for when Plum returns, hopefully after the All-Star break.
The LA Sparks will head home for one more game before the All-Star break, facing the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday, July 22nd at noon.
Photography Credits: LA Sparks/WNBA Photography
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