LOS ANGELES -- The Sparks (3-6) are back at home on Monday. They are going to face a team that has become very familiar to them over the last month or so, the Golden State Valkyries (3-5).
This game is part of the Commissioner's Cup. Los Angeles has a 1-1 record in the Cup while Golden State is 1-2.
The Sparks and Valkyries have split their season series thus far. In the season opener, Los Angeles got the best of their northern neighbors after Kelsey Plum dropped 37 on them. In the rematch not too long after, G. State jumped on L.A. in the second quarter (to the tune of 25-9) on their way to their win.
Both teams are coming off big wins. The Sparks went to Arlington, Texas on Friday to take down the Wings. As for the Valkyries, they blew out the Aces at home in what was one of the bigger surprises of the season.
The W against the Dallas Wings was probably the most complete game for the Sparks so far this season.
“I would say over 40 minutes, for sure,” Sparks forward Dearica Hamby reacted after being asked if it was the best team game they’ve played in 2025. “I think we’ve shown that we are able to play that way four quarters at the time. And it’s usually the third quarter that’s hurt us and caused some losses. So I would say over 40 minutes, yes.”
In that game, all five Sparks starters scored in double figures.
“Everybody contributing is ideal,” Hamby said. “It makes it harder to defend when you have everybody being a threat from all parts of the floor. That’s really hard to do but it’s really good when you get it done.”
The question for the Sparks is can they play like this against the Valkyries on Monday night?
“Good teams are consistent. Good players are consistent,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. “And going from last place to first isn’t going to take a month but it takes consistency and it takes climbing and things are hard. It’s hard! But you’ve got to have that urgency and be consistent in that.”
“Just our consistency of showing that we can play that way,” Hamby agreed. “Not just against teams that are like where we are in the standings. We need to show that we can do that against teams that are also playing well.”
The Sparks have always had trouble with one quarter in nearly every game. They know they have to get over that hump.
“Intensity for 40 minutes,” Coach Roberts said. “At Dallas, that’s what we talked about at halftime. We have to be able to sustain intensity, sustain urgency. If you want to win in this league, you can’t lay an egg for an entire quarter. You’ve got to play with some urgency and intensity. So we did it one game. I’m not sold that that’s consistency yet so we’ve got to start putting those days together.”
”We want to set the tone of physicality,” Hamby said.
Carla Leite led Golden State with 19 when they defeated Los Angeles in Crypto. But the Valkyries have had different players lead the attack in their games.
“You’ve got to start with the ball handler,” Hamby said, who led the Sparks with 25 points in their loss against the Valkyries. “In this scenario, we’ve seen that when (the lead guard Julie Vanloo/Leite) plays well that they have been winning games. But kind of similarly, if everybody’s a threat, you hit the guard back.”
The Sparks also have to watch out for Kayla Thornton (double-double in their last match-up), Janelle Salaun (18 points, 8 rebounds), and Veronica Burton (12 points), who looks like an early candidate for Most Improved Player. Laeticia Amihere has also re-signed with Golden State after being previously waived by them. The Valkyries may be an expansion team but they’ve proved early on that they belong in the league.
A win over the Sparks will further solidify that. But if the Sparks play their brand of basketball then they can prove that they’re not the doormats that they were in 2024.
“I want to win so I’m willing to do whatever,” Hamby said after their loss to the Valkyries.
And they can get that win as long as they do whatever it takes for all 40 minutes.