The Los Angeles Sparks couldn’t overcome a brutal third quarter in their 89–86 loss to the Phoenix Mercury, marking their second straight defeat of the young WNBA season.
Kelsey Plum led the Sparks with 25 points, six assists, and two steals, while Azurá Stevens turned in a monster performance with 23 points and 17 rebounds. Dearica Hamby added 15 points and seven boards, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a stretch of cold shooting that buried L.A. in the second half.
With rookie Rickea Jackson sidelined due to concussion protocol, Sarah Ashlee Barker earned her first career start and chipped in two points and four assists. The Sparks came out strong, trading buckets with the Mercury early. But Phoenix caught fire in the second quarter and capitalized on a nine-point run that left L.A. scrambling.
Still, the Sparks showed resilience. They clawed back to take a brief lead before halftime, thanks in part to Stevens and Hamby, but Phoenix regained control after a heated exchange between Stevens and Satou Sabally led to a technical foul.
The third quarter was disastrous for Los Angeles, who went just 2-of-20 from the field and managed only seven points. Phoenix built a 13-point cushion heading into the fourth.
L.A. made a valiant push in the final minutes, cutting the lead to just one point after a clutch jumper from Plum. But a pair of late free throws from the Mercury sealed the game.
Despite the loss, the Sparks out-rebounded Phoenix 47–43 and showed toughness, nearly overcoming one of their worst offensive quarters of the season. They’ll look to bounce back Friday night against the Golden State Valkyries.
Third-Quarter Collapse Costs Sparks in Loss to Phoenix
