LOS ANGELES -- The Sparks needed this win. But they couldn't close it out.
The Sparks and Fever went back and forth in the end. Former Spark Odyssey Sims made the last five points, including the eventual game-winner with 13 seconds left. The Sparks couldn't get a shot off and eventually time ran out on them. The Fever came away with an important road win, 76-75.
After a 31-point first quarter, the Sparks had a tough time scoring. They scored 44 the rest of the way as the Fever dominated in offensive rebounds (15-3 advantage) and turned the Sparks over 22 times.
What did the game come down to? Q by @MykellthePG pic.twitter.com/kZYS0K7R4T
— Rey-Rey (@TheNoLookPass) August 30, 2025
"The game just comes down, as I always say, to chances," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. "They had 15 offensive rebounds, and we had 22 turnovers. And we struggled with those two things earlier in the season. We've been a lot better tonight. And they did a great job. We had 56 field goal attempts and they had 81.
"So for us to only lose by one is actually pretty statistically amazing. We shot the ball well. We just gave them too many chances and I think that's what the game comes down to."
As expected, it was a physical game as the Fever, particularly Aliyah Boston, did their best to bang the Sparks inside.
How physical was it? pic.twitter.com/lgjaDzJsW5
— Rey-Rey (@TheNoLookPass) August 30, 2025
"She's probably the most physical player in the league," Sparks forward Dearica Hamby said. "We talked about it a little bit. This is probably the only game that they allow it to kind of go back and forth without a ton of offensive fouls and calling fouls both ways. So, I mean, they did a good job. Their game plan was probably to jam me and not let me get a lot of space."
So with seven games left to go, what's next for the Sparks?
Where does the team go from here with seven games left? Q by @johnwdavis pic.twitter.com/2Z7FZ5RF8g
— Rey-Rey (@TheNoLookPass) August 30, 2025
"One game at a time," Hamby said. "We've got Sunday, Washington, trying to split the series with them. And we can kind of still control our own destiny. We can go 5-2 and make a shot at this. So turn the page and keep going."
5-2 sounds like a tall task but nevertheless, the Sparks have to do whatever they can if they want to get that elusive eighth seed and make a playoff run. But this loss was certainly a blow to their chances. Still, they do have an important game against the Mystics on Sunday and then the team above them, the Storm, will be their opponents on Monday on a tail end of a back-to-back.
Azurá Stevens led the team in scoring with 17 points while Kelsey Plum put in 12 points (all in the first half). Rickea Jackson ended up playing and finished with eight points (she also scored her 1,000th career point), though she did look like a step slower due to her leg injury.
As for the Fever, Aliyah Boston finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Odyssey Sims hurt her old team with 21 points while Kelsey Mitchell had a somewhat subdued 14 points.
As Hamby said, the Sparks (17-20) will just have to move on. They go on to their last game of their four-game home stand as they take on the pesky Washington Mystics.