LOS ANGELES -- The Sparks will not finish at .500.
The Aces (30-14) picked apart the Sparks (21-23) with some long distance shooting all night long. The game never really got competitive after that. Las Vegas ends the regular season with a shiny 16-game winning streak and by breaking a record after their win in the City of Angels, 103-75.
Rickea Jackson (right lower leg) and Julie Allemand (left ankle) sat out the game that was really never in doubt after a fast start by the Aces. The Aces lit the nets up with 22 three-pointers, which is three more than the previous record set by the Liberty and the Dream (against the Sparks, no less) earlier this season.
Ultimately, the game didn't do much for the Sparks in the standings as they were out of the postseason race. However, the win did give the Aces the second seed. They will face the Storm in the first round.
The Sparks had their exit interviews after the game, which will be covered in the next few days. But Sparks Coach Lynne Roberts was asked about her first season as a WNBA coach.
"It's not the ultimate goal that we had, but the improvement, I'm proud of that," Roberts reflected. "The way these guys battled all season, we went through adversity, we stuck together, and I'm proud of that. So I'm disappointed but like I said before, I don't feel like this season was a failure at all."
The Sparks improved 13 wins from last season.
"I think we have a lot of the right pieces," Sparks general manager Raegan Pebley said. "And I know we have the right head coach. I know we have a lot of the right leadership. I believe in the core of the youth that we have and their development. I think, again, the installation of things that matter to sustainable success, you know, it's like standards come before, like, a status. And there are standards that have been set and are being lived out by this locker room."
Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, who came over in a trade from Vegas, wanted to win so badly but got quite a point of view from her teammate and friend, Dearica Hamby.
"Maybe like two weeks ago, I was calling Dee and I was having a moment. I was just frustrated," Plum admitted. "You know, I'm like, I want to win. She was like, hey, I won eight games last year so this looks different to me. So I think perspective is key."
The team would've had a better chance at the playoffs if they weren't so injury-riddled at the start of the season and had a few bounces go their way in some games. It was also quite an uphill climb coming from a 6-14 record. They did finish strong at 15-9. The expectations will be up for 2026 for the Los Angeles Sparks and they'll have to be ready to meet the challenges next season, especially with two new teams coming into the W.
Three players scored 15 each for the Sparks: Plum, Hamby, and Sarah Ashlee Barker (a career-high for her). As for the Aces, A'ja Wilson ended with 23 points, 19 rebounds, four assists, four blocks, and two steals. Jackie Young had 17 points, five rebounds, and 12 assists while Chelsea Grey put up 15 points, six boards, 10 assists, and seven steals. Jewell Loyd came off the bench to make seven threes on her way to 21 points. The Aces had a field day in L.A.
The Sparks are done with the 2025 WNBA season. Now here's hoping the league gets a new Collective Bargaining Agreement done after the playoffs are finished.
