Another game, another lead gone, and the Los Angeles Sparks are now staring down their sixth straight loss after the Liberty rallied in the fourth quarter for a 113-109 win. The Sparks controlled almost the entire second and third quarters, holding a lead that seemed solid, but New York found a way to take over the final frame, even with LA making a late push.
Early Sparks Fire Ignites Crypto.com Arena
Things kicked off with Sabrina Ionescu getting on the board for New York, but the Sparks weren’t messing around. They exploded for nine straight points, with Dearica Hamby dropping five of them, forcing a quick Liberty timeout. Ionescu hit back with back-to-back triples, but Rae Burrell responded with a layup. The threes were flying, with New York shooting 75% from deep and the Sparks hitting 60%. Han Xu was a beast off the bench with 11 points and a perfect 3-3 from behind the arc in the first. Burrell added a three, and she and Atkins combined for 14 points, but LA still ended the first quarter down by six.
The second period started with Cameron Brink putting the Sparks on the board, followed by Marine Fauthoux’s triple. But LA kept pushing, scoring a quick eight points in a row to tie things up. Jonquel Jones stopped their run with a layup, but Burrell was already in double figures with 10 points. Brink was having a stellar half, scoring 11 points, grabbing four rebounds, and dishing out two assists. Burrell drained her third triple of the half, showing off that red-hot shooting. She and Brink were the only two Sparks in double figures, with Atkins close behind at nine. Halftime hit, and LA was up by three, looking good.
Fourth Quarter Collapse: A Familiar Story
The second half, man, it just started rough. A turnover from the Sparks, and Ionescu immediately scored for New York. The teams traded quick runs, tying the game up. Then Erica Wheeler just caught fire, draining back-to-back triples, bringing her up to 13 points. Los Angeles was hustling, being aggressive offensively, and their run ballooned to 11-2, forcing another Liberty timeout. Breanna Stewart scored on a jumper right out of that break, and you could feel the momentum shifting.
This sixth straight loss just hurts, especially after watching them control so much of the game. The Sparks showed they have the offensive firepower with players like Burrell and Brink stepping up big, but these fourth-quarter struggles are a brutal trend they absolutely need to break. They were leading nearly all the way to the fourth, only to see New York take over. It’s tough to watch that kind of effort not turn into a win, and it leaves you wondering how they’re going to turn this ship around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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