The LA Sparks dropped another one on Sunday, a brutal 90-82 loss to the Dallas Wings, pushing their agonizing losing streak to a soul-crushing four straight games. Talk about a gut punch, especially when you’re trying to find your footing without a superstar. It’s becoming crystal clear that with Kelsey Plum sidelined, winning these tight contests feels like an impossible mission for this squad.
Early Leads Disappear Like Smoke
This game felt like a rollercoaster, man. The Sparks actually started hot, you know? Nneka Ogwumike got the offense rolling with a sweet midrange jumper, and then Dearica Hamby converted a layup that gave LA an early four-point lead. You could almost feel the momentum building! But just like that, it vanished. Dallas hit back with five straight points, and Awak Kuier for the Wings was having a strong start, racking up four points. Dallas pulled ahead by three around the 4:51 mark in the first, and then Azzi Fudd just lit it up, draining two triples. Hamby and Erica Wheeler fought like crazy to make it a two-point game again, but LA gave up back-to-back three-point plays, and suddenly that lead was gone. By the end of the first, it was a rough scene: the purple and gold were down by 10, trailing the Wings 27-17, and the team was a cold 1-7 from deep. Ouch.
Fighting Back, Only to Fall Short
The second period kicked off with Jihyun Park delivering an impressive layup, showing some life! But Aziaha James quickly answered for Dallas. Erica Wheeler then caught fire for Los Angeles, putting up four quick points. After a Sparks timeout, Nneka scored, trying to get that spark going again. You saw the fight, even with Paige Bueckers racking up 12 points for Dallas, mostly inside the arc. Chance Gray nailed her second three-pointer, a much needed bucket for LA, trying to keep them in it. The turnover situation was concerning, though, with eight in the half, even if they hadn’t hit double figures yet. But then Hamby, Park, and Ariel Atkins combined for six points as the half wound down, shrinking that deficit to just six points by halftime. In the third, Hamby continued her dominant play with another layup and a hook shot, pushing her total to 12 points. Burrell, the franchise-leading scorer, added a layup. At one point, the Sparks were down by just one point at the 5:54 mark! Nneka even put them in the lead with an inside basket. They were trading blows, exchanging leads, and it felt like LA had seized the momentum. Then, disaster struck: the Wings put their foot on the gas pedal for a crushing 7-0 scoring run. Cameron Brink was on the bench, watching it unfold.
What’s Next for the Sparks
This four-game slide is tough, no doubt about it. Rae Burrell, Nneka Ogwumike, and Dearica Hamby are putting in solid performances, trying to keep this team afloat, but it’s clearly not enough without Kelsey Plum. The cold hard truth is, if Plum doesn’t return to the court soon, digging out of these losses is going to get exponentially harder. This early season stretch is critical, and they are bleeding momentum right now. They need Plum back to turn this ship around, and fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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