LA Didn't Come to Celebrate — They Came to Win

On the Aces banner night in front of 10,386 fans for the 50th consecutive sellout at The House the Los Angeles Sparks walked into Las Vegas and walked out with a 101-95 victory behind six players in double figures, 26 assists on 37 made field goals, and a performance that should have the entire league on notice. The Sparks are 3-3 and they are not playing around.

Kelsey Plum was absolutely ridiculous

38 points. Season high. Her most ever as a Spark. On 12 for 17 shooting, 6 for 7 from three, and a perfect 8 for 8 from the free throw line. She also added nine assists. In Las Vegas. On banner night. In front of the crowd that watched her win two championships in that building.

That takes a different kind of mental toughness and Kelsey Plum has it in abundance.

She recorded her fifth 20-point game in five games this season joining Caitlin Clark as the only players in the entire WNBA to do that. She accounted for 21 of the Sparks 26 third quarter points scoring 12 and assisting on the other 9. And with the 607th three-pointer of her career she passed Tamika Catchings for 12th on the WNBA all-time threes list. History being made in real time.

Coach Lynne Roberts didn't hold back when asked about her star guard after the game. "She's competitive as hell, and what she's done for our organization has been remarkable in terms of validation and everything else. The players we got in free agency, KP played a big role in that because she's a competitor in that space too." And then Roberts said something that I personally needed to hear: "I personally don't think she gets talked about enough in the best-player or MVP conversations. For whatever reason, she doesn't get enough recognition, and that's kind of an injustice. She's fun to coach."

Coach Roberts is absolutely right. Kelsey Plum deserves to be in that conversation and nights like Saturday are exactly why.

Cameron Brink is BACK

This is the storyline I have been waiting to talk about all season. Cameron Brink made her first start since 2024 on Saturday night the 16th start of her career and she looked like she never missed a day. 16 points on 7 for 11 shooting, eight rebounds including four offensive boards, a block, and a steal. She was physical, she was active, and she was exactly the Cameron Brink that had the entire league excited before the ACL injury took her away. A healthy Cameron Brink changes the ceiling of this team and Saturday was the first real glimpse of what that looks like.

Welcome back, Cam. The league missed you.

The supporting cast showed out

This is what separates good teams from great ones when everybody contributes on the same night. Saturday the Sparks had six players in double figures and every single one of them earned it.

Dearica Hamby was everywhere 16 points , five rebounds, and four assists. She was aggressive, physical, and made the Aces pay every time they lost track of her in the paint.

Ariel Atkins did what Ariel Atkins does 11 points, three rebounds, three assists, and she held Jackie Young scoreless. Let me say that again. Ariel Atkins locked down one of the best guards in the league and held her scoreless. That is elite defense from a five-time All-Defensive team selection and it was on full display Saturday night.

Erica Wheeler was the unsung hero of this game 10 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and a game best plus 15 rating. Her critical three pointer with 1:15 left in the fourth put LA up 97-94 and essentially sealed it. Wheeler hit that shot with the calmness of a veteran who has been in big moments before. And after the game she gave us the most honest and hilarious breakdown of how she and Plum work together:

"When she's on a heater, I'm running to the corner, don't even look at me, don't even pass me the ball, stay on the heater. I think that's the balance of it. Just having her off the ball, me being able to create and get my teammates involved has been tremendous."

That right there is a player who completely understands her role, embraces it, and executes it at the highest level. That kind of selflessness is what wins games and Wheeler proved it Saturday night.

Rae Burrell came off the bench and drained two triples, finishing with 10 points and a steal. Every time the Aces tried to make a run, somebody in a Sparks uniform had an answer.

The third quarter won this game

The Aces held a 52-46 halftime lead and looked like they were in control. Then the Sparks came out of the locker room and went on a 10-0 run to take the lead and they never really let go of it after that. LA shot 52.9 percent in the third, held the Aces to 42.1 percent from the floor, and flipped the momentum completely. When the Aces tried to answer in the fourth the Sparks went on an 8-0 run in the first 58 seconds of the quarter to put it away.

The Sparks had 13 turnovers in the first half and only four in the second half. That adjustment that discipline in the second half is what winning teams do. Coach Lynne Roberts made the right corrections at halftime and her players executed.

14 three pointers. Second straight game with double-digit threes.

The Sparks shot 48.3 percent from three on Saturday 14 or2 9. That is not sustainable every night but it has been sustainable two games in a row now and it is something opposing teams need to game plan for. When Plum, Burrell, Wheeler, and Atkins are all hitting from deep on the same night, this offense is nearly impossible to guard.

NEXT: The Sparks have five days between games, playing the Washington Mystics next on the road on May 29.