LOS ANGELES -- After a 30-day break due to the league’s All-Star game and the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Los Angeles Sparks are back on the court as the WNBA resumes their season.
For a bit of refresh, the L.A. Sparks don’t have a shining record as they are currently 6-18 after 24 games. They’re in 10th place out of 12 teams.
Still, a lot can happen in the last 16 games. The playoffs aren’t out of reach as they are four games behind the Chicago Sky for the 8th and final spot.
But it’s an uphill climb for the Sparks. They’ve lost rookie sensation Cameron Brink to a torn ACL last June. Lexie Brown is out because of Crohn’s disease and there are no updates on when she can return to the court. And they’ve had multiple players go in and out of the line-up due to various injuries and illnesses.
On the positive side, Dearica Hamby became an all-star for the first time in a Sparks uniform. Rickea Jackson has been one of the better rookies this season. And Azura Stevens has come back from her arm injury to make an impact on both sides. The Sparks also own a couple of big victories against the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces.
Even with the not-so-great record, second-year Sparks head coach Curt Miller sees things are improving.
“We’re finding more of a rhythm on who to play through and where to get them the ball,” Miller summarized. “Our defense is starting to grow.
“You can see that things they weren’t executing early on, they’re starting to execute.”
And the Sparks hope to continue to improve on execution as their 2024 campaign resumes against a team that they have already lost twice to this season, the New York Liberty. The Liberty own the best record in the league at 21-4.
They played in New York for two consecutive games. On June 20th, Sabrina Ionescu scored 31 points to lead the Libs over the Sparks, 93-80. Two days later, Breanna Stewart showed her dominance by scoring 33 points as they won, 98-88, to make it 2-0 against the Sparks
What makes the Liberty dangerous is their three-point shooting. They lead in both makes and attempts and it would do the Sparks well to limit them from the arc. It's helped New York become the best offensive team in the league.
It'll take everything from the Sparks. Hamby, who won a bronze medal in 3x3 basketball at Paris, will be counted on to lead the team. Jackson and Stevens are expected to provide offense. Zia Cooke notably performed well in New York, averaging 13.5 points in two games there.
The Sparks hope to get off to a good start in the second half of the season. But it'll be a heck of a test against a championship favorite.