WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Sparks (3-3) are finally back in action after five days off.
Unfortunately, the team didn't come away unscathed during that time. While at an open practice on Tuesday, Kelsey Plum got hurt. It was a right ankle injury and the team mentioned she'll be re-evaluated in a week's time, which means she'll be checked out on Tuesday.
So the Sparks will go on without the league's leading scorer for the rest of their road trip. It'll be a back-to-back affair, starting with the Mystics in Washington on Friday and then the Sun in Connecticut on Saturday.
The Mystics (3-3) may be a young team (11 players who are 25 and under!) but it's a hell of a talented squad. Sonia Citron can score from anywhere. Kiki Iriafen is a rebounding machine, averaging 10.7 a game. Shakira (not Shak) Austin is a presence in the middle. And Georgia Amoore is on the court now and has a great feel for the game.
Not to mention that the Mystics have Bruins Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalić, and their assistant coach Michaela Onyenwere and draft picks Cotie McMahon, Cassandre Prosper, and Rori Harmon. A team full of youth but when that potential is all realized, watch out.
But this is where a veteran Sparks team should take advantage. The team has to be riding high after consecutive wins against the 2025 WNBA finalists (Mercury, Aces). Granted, they won't have Plum for a week minimum, but this could give their young guards Chance Gray and Ta'Niya Latson some opportunities to play with the vets like Dearica Hamby, Erica Wheeler, Ariel Atkins, and Nneka Ogwumike. Who the Sparks will start in place of Plum (Rae Burrell?) is unknown by the time this article is written.
Meanwhile, Cameron Brink played her best game of the season against the Aces. She went for 16 points and eight boards. While foul trouble continues to be an issue for the Stanford alum, Brink has been excellent when she's on the court. She's showed various offensive moves: driving, posting, and hitting the three. And of course, teams have a hard time scoring when Brink is roaming in the middle.
The Mystics don't shoot a lot of threes (second least attempts in the W) but the Sparks tend to let opponents shoot a lot of them. The Sparks continue to be last in defensive rating though there were signs in those two wins on what they're capable of on that end. As Coach Lynne Roberts said in the past, offense won't be a problem; they are currently second in that department. It once again comes down to turnovers (they average the most in that category) and ball movement. The Sparks have averaged more than 25 assists after their first two games, which is the most in that time period.
The Sparks won't have Plum to fall back on in the meantime. The others are going to have to pick up her production for the next few games. But for Friday, they should keep their eyes on the prize in the nation's capital.