Every game matters this late into the season for the Los Angeles Sparks, and they had a chance to gain some ground in their playoff chase on Tuesday night. However, they couldn’t earn the win at home against the Phoenix Mercury, losing 92-84.
Alyssa Thomas was as dominant as ever in the win. She recorded her WNBA single-season record-setting seventh triple-double this year, ending the game with 12 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists.
While Thomas was a key contributor for the Mercury, she didn’t do it alone. Kahleah Copper scored 18 points, and Sami Whitcomb was huge off the bench, scoring 17 points and going 5-for-7 from deep.
The Sparks got a good game from Dearica Hamby. She scored 25 points and shot 9-for-12 from the field. Rickea Jackson also played well, finishing with 21 points. She had an ankle injury scare, but head coach Lynne Roberts said after the loss that she should be fine for Friday’s game against the Indiana Fever.
Los Angeles will need everyone to be healthy and ready to go for the game against Indiana. With this loss, they are now a game and a half back of a playoff spot with eight games to go.
How the Mercury repeatedly stopped the Sparks’ momentum
The Mercury gained control quickly in this game, jumping out to an 11-4 start. The Sparks couldn’t get their usually high-scoring offense going. Only Hamby and Jackson were finding success during the opening quarter. The duo scored 16 of LA‘s 18 first-quarter points. Kelsey Plum was the only other Spark to score during the opening period. After one quarter of play, Phoenix was in front 24-18.
Los Angeles responded by going on a 7-0 run to start the second quarter. The Sparks’ burst of momentum occurred thanks to forced turnovers being converted into layups. After Hamby scored over DeWanna Bonner, she yelled emphatically and shook her head, riling herself and the LA crowd as the Sparks regained the advantage.
The Mercury were able to quickly get back in front thanks to Copper’s play on the perimeter. She was able to get whatever looks she wanted, leading to her scoring 10 points in the first half. After two quarters of play, Phoenix was in front 48-40.
To start the third, it was more production by Jackson that kept the Sparks in this game. She hit a critical 3-pointer over Satou Sabally and celebrated with an “in your face” celebration and dapped up Roberts. The shot brought the Sparks back within four points. But as the Mercury did all game long, when the Sparks made a run, they responded. Sabally and Kathryn Westbeld converted on a pair of 3-pointers, and after a Copper layup, the Mercury were back up by double figures.
Both teams exchanged baskets for the remainder of the period, and Phoenix was ahead 70-57 after three quarters of play. The Sparks needed a couple of scoring runs to close the gap the Mercury created, but they were never able to generate them. Phoenix stayed ahead by around 10 points the rest of the way, cruising to a win.
Can the Sparks find their playoff formula?
The Sparks might be an offensive team, but their scoring struggled, and they couldn’t stop the Mercury from killing them from beyond the arc.
That combination, along with the shooting slump currently besetting the likes of Azurá Stevens, is making the task of reaching the playoffs even harder for Los Angeles. They’ll need to be sharper the rest of the way if they want to end their four-year postseason drought.
