Los Angeles Sparks need to change their trajectory — here’s how

While they’ve shown flashes of strength, the Sparks have been plagued by turnovers, and are allowing opponents to score 84.6 points per game while allowing nine opponent offensive rebounds per game, putting them at the third worst in the league. 

One thing that has consistently worked well for the Sparks thus far is the chemistry between reunited former teammates Plum and Dearica Hamby. According to Her Hoop Stats, of the Sparks’ 223 total assists so far this season, 20 have been from Plum to Hamby, and 12 have been from Hamby to Plum, with the 32 resulting baskets making up 14% of the Sparks’ total assisted buckets. For the Sparks to win more games, this number will have to continue to increase, but other players will need to get in on the action. Through June 9, Hamby and Plum were the highest scoring duo in the WNBA, accounting for 39.9 points per game, or about 48% of the Sparks’ total scoring.

One player that has helped lighten the load is forward Azurá Stevens, who is having a career year (14.2 points and 30.3 minutes per game, to go along with 8.9 rebounds, all season highs). In the Sparks’ quest to move towards a winning record, Stevens’ offensive production and three point shooting will continue to be key. “

“Azurá and Dearica have been so consistent. Their efficiency is unbelievable, their effort, how hard they play,” Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts told reporters ahead of the June 9 game against the Golden State Valkyries. Later in the week, she said “If you look at our games where we play well or we win, Azurá has big games. But her shot chart, her shot quantity, her usage rate doesn’t change, she’s human and […] those days happen. Her role isn’t going to change, her usage rate isn’t going to change, she’s kind of a linchpin for us. When she’s going, we’re really hard to guard. […] She has an ability to stretch our offense out, stretch our defense out.” 

Despite the loss to the Valkyries at home on June 9, the Sparks had flashes of a smoother rhythm, finding each other on backdoor cuts and in transition, but ultimately could not maintain that flow in overtime, throwing the ball away on two key possessions and getting outscored 11-3. 

Following the game, in a since viral moment, Plum expressed frustration to reporters about the lack of foul calls she received, despite consistent drives to the basket and aggressive plays, showing off scratches and acknowledging she’d likely get fined for her comments. 

“I drive more than anyone in the league,” Plum said. “So to shoot six free throws is fucking absurd.” 

She later went on to express frustration at “touching the paint almost every play,” and repeating “I’m sick of it. I don’t know what to do.”

With a usage rate of 28% — which accounts for the number of plays on the floor where a specific player is shooting, getting to the free throw line, or committing a turnover — Plum is at seventh in the league for players playing over 20 minutes per game. 

While there’s no question the Sparks want Plum to touch the ball on as many possessions as possible, there’s also no question they’re hoping for more scoring help from other guards. Rickea Jackson, the Sparks’ second year player known for her slashing to the basket and midrange scoring, recently missed five games, first due to a concussion, then for personal reasons. Meanwhile, shooting guard Rae Burrell has only played one game this season.

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But, on Wednesday night, the Sparks finally got just what they needed: a career night from Jackson. She had 30 points on 11-18 shooting from the floor, leading the way to a win over Plum and Hamby’s former team, the Las Vegas Aces. 

Before the game, Roberts harped on the team’s need to rebound, noting that the glass was a major reason for their recent overtime loss to the Valkyries, saying: “We have to rebound, and that’s why we lost to [the] Golden State [Valkyries]. It came down to that. We watched all 17 of those offensive rebounds after the game and it’s hard to score when you don’t have the ball, so we have to rebound. I’ve given them a lot of freedom in transition to get it and go. So I think [the key is] just the confidence and freedom to go, but we gotta rebound better.” She went on to say “We’re about almost a quarter of the way through this season and so we’ve gotta really start playing with some urgency.”

When the Sparks out-rebounded A’ja Wilson and the Aces by 10, Roberts was pleased with the consistency and effort demonstrated by her team. “We were just finding each other, and it’s just fun to play like that. When we play like that, we are going to set a statement,” Jackson said following the game. “Yep,” said Coach Roberts. When asked about the team’s consistency, which has been a flaw for the Sparks thus far, Roberts acknowledged the “dips” they’ve seen in various quarters, and their inability to string together four consistent quarters. “Tonight we were really aggressive and fearless, and that’s what we have to play like. We have to play completely together,” she said on Wednesday. “We are getting more and more consistent.”

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As the Sparks gear up to face the Minnesota Lynx again on Saturday, they have to carry that energy on the boards into that game. In the teams’ first match-up, the Lynx only out-rebounded the Sparks by five, but scored 29 points on either second chance opportunities or off of turnovers, to the Sparks’ 16. The Sparks also had only six bench points and two players sub into the game, reinforcing the challenge of depth they’ve faced thus far this season. 

If they’re able to keep turnovers low, stay active on the glass and give support to high usage players like Plum and Hamby, the Sparks have a chance to change their momentum against a no longer undefeated Lynx team.

The Sparks take on the Lynx in Minneapolis on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. PT on CBS.