HARTFORD, Conn. -- This is the way the schedule breaks down for the Los Angeles Sparks.
Fresh off beating the Washington Mystics the night before, the Sparks have traveled Northeast to Connecticut as they take on the Sun for a fun Saturday night. So fresh isn't exactly the right word to use in this case because the Sparks have to be weary after playing a heated game against the Mystics. Games in consecutive days are never ideal in basketball at the highest level.
So the Sun will take advantage; they're like the Mystics where most of their players are 25 and under. They need every edge they can get as they are a brutal 1-8 in this 2026 season.
The Sun have young talent. Aneesah Morrow is averaging 11.4 points and 9.7 rebounds and she's mostly played off the bench. They have two of the national champion Bruins in Charlisse Leger-Walker and Gianna Kneepkens. Diamond Miller is a former #2 pick who is trying to resuscitate her career. They have a great defender in Saniya Rivers and a reliable vet in Kennedy Burke. Brittney Griner is there, of course, but she's questionable for Saturday's game while Aaliyah Edwards remains out. And of course, Leila Lacan, who just came off winning a championship and Finals MVP in La Boulangère Wonderligue, will make her 2026 season debut.
The Connecticut Sun are also in a weird situation where they're in lame duck status. The franchise is set to move to Houston for next season; presumably, they will return to the Houston Comets name. It's a bit difficult for the loyal fans to cheer for this team, knowing that the Sun will leave after this fall. And it's hard for the players not to think about these circumstances. Still, they're professionals and they will give it all for Connecticut. The game will take place in Hartford on Saturday and there was a chance the team could've stayed in the state but alas.
The Sparks, like they did Friday night, will use their experience and cunning to outfox this young team.
"I think that we did a good job of responding to the ebbs and the flows of the game," Sparks veteran Nneka Ogwumike said after their win against the Mystics. "I think a point of emphasis for us is temperament. We know what we need to do out there. We understand what our foundation is on both ends. And however the game is called, however the game is happening, we just need to stay level. And I think that we did a good job of that, especially in the second half when it came to down-the-wire execution and also, managing our thoughts and emotions around what was happening in the game."
They're going to have to do it again on Saturday against the youthful exuberance of the Sun. Sparks point guard Erica Wheeler was as cool as they come, scoring 14 of her 21 points against the Mystics on Friday night. Cameron Brink was breezy in the first half, scoring 14 of her 16 in those first 20 minutes. And Dearica Hamby was the silent consistent weapon for the Sparks, scoring 14 points and giving out a career-best nine assists on Friday. The Sparks know everyone has to step up as Kelsey Plum continues to recover from her ankle injury.
As tired as they are, the Sparks have to take care of business. Everyone is a tough out in this league but they don't want to be the Sun's second win this season. Especially since that, by far, the Sun are the worst offensive team in the league.
Keep calm and the Sparks can sweep this four-game road trip.