Sparks lose to Sky, now 0-3 on current road trip

CHICAGO -- The Sparks can't seem to get it done on the road anymore.

After competitive games against the Dream and the Lynx, the Sparks took a dump in the second quarter, getting outscored by the Sky, 33-19. While the Sparks were able to get it down to six entering the fourth quarter, the Sky took over the fourth and got the W, 96-82.

The Sparks are now 0-3 on this current road trip as their overall record got bumped down to 10-14.

"Well, I think you have to credit Chicago," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. "They played really well and they executed on both sides better than we did. That second quarter crushed us, put us in a hole. I thought we had a good third but the second quarter was just... it was tough. Then it puts pressure so much on our offense to make shots and we just didn't execute. And that's on me."

With the Sparks falling further down the standings, the team has talked about what these games has meant for them.

"We've had some conversations, and most recently, just now after the game, talking about the accountability that we have to have amongst each other and individually," Sparks All-Star forward Nneka Ogwumike said. "It's kind of been a through-line in our season when we talk about being able to come out here and execute what the coaches are putting us in on both ends of the court. And also, play with pride, play with heart. There's a level of accountability to that as well. Not taking these games for granted and ensuring that we're all on the same page, even if it's the wrong page, just being on the same page. And that's something that coaches can only do so much of. It's on us to be able to sustain that level of focus and concentration over 40 minutes and also over the string of a few games to be able to turn this around."

Ogwumike went further into accountability for the team.

"Yeah, I've been on a lot of teams, and there's been teams where you couldn't even welcome the conversation around accountability," Ogwumike said. "And we have a group of people that speak on it and we want to be a group of people that act on it. But like Coach said after the game today, it's a gut check at this point. We have to really understand that the notion of, oh, it's the next one, it's okay. No, we have to fix it, fix something now. And I think that people feel that. We committed to doing one thing, how we do everything after the game. And so I'm looking forward to seeing how we continue to chip away at kind of that barrier that's keeping us from being sustainably good over the course of the game and over the course of the season."

Coach Roberts also dove into that subject.

"I have so much faith in these guys. And it is a good group. They want to be coached," Roberts said. "They want to win. They want to succeed for the org. And we just have to. It's not easy, though. Right? It's hard. It's easier said than done. The game is fast and it's physical. And there's things that you can't control. But there's a level of mental toughness that breeds consistency. And I feel like we show moments of it and then moments where we don't have it. And so that's what I'm looking for.

"And I believe in these guys. I really do," Roberts continued. "But it's that mental toughness to stay locked in despite all the things that are going on in the game. That's what's going to get us over the hump."

The current longest-tenured player of the Sparks also had something to say.

"I would say just keep preaching what we've been preaching about," Sparks forward Dearica Hamby said. "I know we said we need to act on it but the league keeps moving. We've got to keep moving forward. We can't sulk and be sorry and feel sorry for ourselves. We just have to be better and do better (in all directions)."

The turnovers was once again a problem for the Sparks as they ended with 17, compared to nine by the Sky. Coach Lynne Roberts had always talked about having more shots on goal and the Sky had 15 more shot attempts. The Sky also made five more threes than the Sparks.

Sydney Taylor led all players with 19 points while Kamilla Cardoso, who was listed as questionable before deemed available, played a huge game, ending with 13 points and 11 boards.

Nneka Ogwumike did become the Sparks' all-time leader in points with her first basket of the game.

"Lisa, not just what she meant to me, what she still means to me, being able to grow up watching someone like that really pioneer, not just women's sports, but the WNBA and also the Sparks," Ogwumike said about Sparks great Lisa Leslie, whose record she broke on Friday. "She is synonymous with the L.A. Sparks in the same way that Candace (Parker) is. And to be mentioned in her company, it's kind of surreal. It hasn't quite hit, been able to hit after a win. But I'm very grateful to be in a position to be doing this in the Sparks jersey."

Ogwumike had her 10th double-double of the season with 18 points and 12 boards. Hamby also had 18 points.

The Sparks will try to avoid going winless on this road trip on Sunday. It will be against the Wings in Dallas and that promises to be yet another tough contest.