LOS ANGELES -- The Sparks (5-11) are back at home and going to be in a celebratory mood. They ended their road trip with a big win over the Fever as they snapped their four-game losing streak.
And on this special Sunday afternoon, the team is going to retire Candace Parker’s jersey, the third such honor after Sparks greats Lisa Leslie and Penny Toler.
But there is a game to be played. The Sparks will be going against ironically, the Chicago Sky. Parker won her second championship ring with the Sky in 2021 and will also get her jersey retired there on August 25th.
The Sparks played the Sky in Chicago last Tuesday. The Sky (4-11) had a huge fourth quarter to defeat the Sparks. Kamilla Cardoso ended up having a career-high with 27 points.
The Sky had a 13-6 advantage in rebounding in the fourth quarter with Angel Reese and Cardoso having 12 of those 13 boards. But because of the Americup, Cardoso will be absent from the Sky.
“(Reese’s) activity level is tough. She is unbelievable on rebounding,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. “I know everyone talks about it and all the things but she is as good as I have ever seen. It's technique and it's also desire. You can talk about it, you can drill it, she still comes up with rebounds. Those are just extra possessions for her team and that's why we lost there. We had a big lead and they got back in it from rebounding.
“Also Cardozo. She's not here, which I don't hate,” Roberts cracked. “But yeah, we've got to do a good job. It's easier said than done, but giving them second chance opportunities, that gets their shooters involved, the kickouts, all those things.”
Forward Azurá Stevens, who scored 23 points in their win against the Fever, expects a different attack from the Sky with Cardoso out.
“I think they'll shoot a lot more from the outside,” Stevens said. “We're expecting them to really attack from the perimeter. We're going to have to be ready for that.”
The Sparks have averaged nearly 20 turnovers in their last five games. The team knows they have to clean that up.
“I think just maybe lack of focus at times and not being set up in our stuff,” Stevens said. “So we've really been trying to work on that. Focus on just getting into our offense and executing and taking care of the ball.”
“I think with the style that we are playing, where there's structure but there's a lot of freedom for players to make decisions and make the reads and make the play,” Coach Roberts said. “Some of that, you know, it'll be different in year two and year three. It'll look smoother, and the players will be more confident in their decisions, right?
“And then also the continuity, having players in and out, and new guys that have to catch up,” Roberts continued. "That, of course, it makes things clunkier than you'd like at this point. So I think those are the two things that are legit. The last one is trying to do too much. You try to do too much, a lot of times you're going to turn it over. That's controllable. The other things we can't really control. We can control not being out of control, not trying to take on the world one-on-five and make a bad decision. Just be more solid.”
It certainly looked more solid in the fourth quarter against the Fever on Thursday when they scored 35 points and did not turn the ball over a single time.
The Sparks will also have to watch out for scoring from Ariel Atkins as well as other potential threats like Bec Allen, Kia Nurse, Rachel Banham, and Hailey Van Lith. They are, for sure, gonna try to pick up the slack with Cardoso out.
Help may also be on the way for the Sparks. Odyssey Sims is listed as probable for Sunday’s game against the Sky. The team has certainly missed her scoring, defense, and veteran presence.
And of course, the team is gonna honor Candace Parker as they are set to retire her jersey at halftime of Sunday’s game.
“I think it’s a time to celebrate Candace but also for our players to recognize the legacy and what it means to be an L.A. Spark, like the greats in our game that have put on that jersey,” Coach Roberts said in terms of balancing celebration and playing the game. “So there's an obligation that comes with putting it on in terms of you're representing everybody that's ever worn it. So we'll send that message but then we've got to do our part and compete and focus on that. We're professionals; it’s what we get paid to do so we've got to stay focused, but at the same time, understand and respect and appreciate what the day is for our sport and for Candace.”
Coach Roberts also knows it’s a chance to soak in the event.
“Yeah, it's cool,” Roberts mused. “It's really cool to be a part of it. It's humbling, but these are the names: Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, that I grew up and as I was coaching, they were the GOATs. So it's an honor for me to be a part of the Sparks organization, too.”
Stevens was a teammate of Parker’s when they won the WNBA championship with the Sky four years ago.
“Just an icon, a pioneer for the game,” Stevens said of Parker. “She changed the game in so many ways. So I'm happy that we'll be able to honor her tomorrow. It'll be really cool to see her celebrated for all that she did. She changed the game in so many ways and will forever be a legend for the Sparks organization, Chicago, Vegas, and just the WNBA in its entirety. So I'm really proud of her and happy for her. I'm excited to see her tomorrow.”
And it’ll be an even bigger celebration should the Sparks take care of business against the Sky on Sunday and start a winning streak for the first time this season.
