Great Basketball, Same Fourth Quarter Problem. Dallas Wins 104-96
Honestly? The Los Angeles Sparks showed me something tonight.
53.7 percent from the field. 25 assists. 52 points in the paint. Kelsey Plum back from injury looking like she never left. Nneka Ogwumike with another double-double. Dearica Hamby making franchise history. This was a performance that showed exactly what this team is capable of when everything is clicking and it was clicking for most of this game.
The Dallas Wings just happened to have a big fourth quarter. Final score 104-96. But don't let that final score fool you the Sparks are building something real.
Kelsey Plum is back and she did not miss a step
Plum played her first game since May 29 and walked back onto the floor like she had never been gone. 27 points on 10 for 16 shooting with six assists her 35th career game with at least 25 points and five assists. She was immediate in the first quarter, scored 13 points in the first half, and when the fourth quarter got tight she went right back to work scoring 10 of her points in the final frame including a clutch three point play at the 7:43 mark to briefly recapture the lead at 84-83.
Having Plum healthy and fully engaged changes everything for this offense. Tonight was a reminder of just how good she is.
Dearica Hamby made history
On a night where the Sparks showed what they're made of, Hamby gave us three milestones worth celebrating. She finished with 15 points on 6 fo r8 shooting and in doing so reached 2,000 career points as a Spark, passed Chelsea Gray for ninth on the franchise's all-time scoring list, and surpassed Temeka Johnson for 12th on the all-time assists list. Three franchise milestones in one road game. Hamby has quietly become one of the most important and consistent players on this roster and her legacy in Los Angeles keeps growing.
Ariel Atkins and Nneka Ogwumike were outstanding
Atkins tied her season high with 16 points going 6 for 12 from the field and 4 for 7 from three while adding five rebounds, three assists, and the game's best plus-6 rating in the first half. She has been one of the steadiest players on this roster all season and tonight was another example of why this trade was one of the best moves of the offseason.
Nneka Ogwumike recorded her 119th career double-double 13 points on 6 for 8 shooting and 10 rebounds with five assists. Her four double-doubles this season are tied for fifth most in the entire league. In the third quarter when the Sparks needed a bucket she went a perfect 3 for 3 from the floor while LA outscored Dallas 14-8 in the paint. She is still elite and she proved it again tonight.
Cameron Brink came off the bench and gave the team 10 points and five rebounds in just 15 minutes. Every single time Brink steps on the floor she makes an impact. Kate Martin added five on perfect 2-for-2 shooting.
The ball movement was elite
17 assists on 22 made field goals in the first half alone. The Sparks assisted on nine of their ten field goals in the second quarter. That marks just the 12th time in franchise history that LA has recorded 17 or more assists in a single half. When this team moves the ball like this they are genuinely one of the most fun offenses to watch in the league.
The fourth quarter is the thing to fix
Dallas went on a 15-5 run early in the fourth to go up 90-84 and the Sparks couldn't quite recover. Plum kept fighting she really did but the Wings executed when it mattered most. It's the one area that doesn't match everything else this team is doing right now and Coach Roberts knows it.
What Coach Roberts said
Post game Roberts was honest about where this team is in its development. "If you're going to win, you got to have great chemistry and great culture. Those two words are kind of synonymous. It's how you show up every day. It's the standards that we set as a staff and players leading. It's a constantly evolving organism. The chemistry and the culture are a work in progress."
A work in progress but what a work it is becoming. The talent on this roster is real and nights like tonight show exactly what the ceiling looks like when it all comes together.
My take
53.7 percent shooting. 25 assists. 52 points in the paint. Kelsey Plum back and thriving. Three milestones for Hamby. Nneka with another double-double. The Sparks are playing beautiful basketball for large stretches of games and the results are going to catch up to the performances very soon.
They come home Sunday to host the Portland Fire at 4pm PT. The Sparks are going to be fired up after this one and home court is where this team has been at its best. Her Game Network will be watching.
