LOS ANGELES -- This was a much better contest than the one on Thursday.
Unfortunately for the Sparks, the result was the same.
Angel Reese seemed to grab the ball every time it was in the air. She would end the game with a record 26 rebounds and the Dream defeated the Sparks in a hard-fought match, 78-71.
The Sparks only outrebounded Reese by herself, 32-26, which sounds ridiculous.
"She's elite," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said about Reese. "Did we miss her a couple times on the boards? Eight offensive rebounds is a ton. But I think she's the best in the world at it. I really do. I think she has a way of... her timing is good, she's strong, she's got great physicality, but she knows how to kind of lean to kind of get you out of position to where you can now jump and do it. She does a good job tipping it kind of to herself. She's good. Could we have done a better job? Certainly. But you also have to tip your hat to who I think is one of the best rebounders in the world."

#kind #World

AnnaLynne McCord has married Danny Cipriani after the couple publicly asked fans to help fund their wedding. The 90210 alum shared the news in an Instagram Reel on Sunday. McCord said she married "the love of my life" the day before. She also called the wedding a blessing.
McCord and Cipriani launched a Honeyfund page last month to raise money for their wedding. The couple asked fans to give any amount toward their dream wedding and honeymoon. They quoted $100 for the marriage license, $1,000 for the rehearsal dinner and $1,200 for the flowers. The registry also allowed donations from $10 to $5,000.
The couple had raised $14,200 by Friday, according to The U.S. Sun. McCord told the outlet that she received "death threats" after launching the page. Some people called her "despicable," and she said others accused her of trying to get money from wedding guests. She also said some people donated $10 just to leave negative messages.
McCord confirmed her marriage in her Instagram video and called it "incredibly timeless." She praised every part of the event, from the rituals to the moments she shared with Cipriani. "Happy first day being AnnaLynne Cipriani to me," she said. The couple reportedly plans to hold two more wedding ceremonies in London and Cambodia.
After a long and on-and-off dating relationship, Cipriani proposed to McCord on Christmas Day 2025. The couple met on Raya, the celebrity dating app, and dated for years until 2020 when they parted ways. They reunited in 2024, and Cipriani shared their romance on Instagram in April. He called McCord his "Miracle" and wrote, "Loving you is the easiest thing in the world."

#wedding #Instagram

AnnaLynne McCord and Danny Cipriani married on Aug. 22 at their Los Angeles home
The couple's "elegant bohemian"-themed wedding took place in their backyard and was attended by 81 guests
The celebration featured handfasting, spontaneous vows, and live music
AnnaLynne McCord is married!
The 90210 alum, 39, exchanged vows with former rugby player Danny Cipriani, 38, in an "elegant bohemian"-themed backyard wedding at their Los Angeles home on Saturday, Aug. 22. They were joined by 81 guests, all of whom AnnaLynne warmly refers to as her "soul family."

#danny #angeles #married

LOS ANGELES -- It was not a pretty game at all. But what mattered for the Sparks is that they got the job done.
The Sparks led by 22 in the fourth quarter. The Sun scored the last 13 points of the game. Los Angeles did not score in the last six minutes and 12 seconds. But again, all of that doesn't matter as the Sparks came away with a win that snapped their six-game losing streak, 77-68.
Sparks coach Lynne Roberts talked about having better starts. According to Justin Russo of Russo Writes, it was the first time the Sparks led after the first quarter at home since June 7th. That is about two and a months ago.
"Defensively, we were dialed in," Roberts said. "Offensively, we were playing with pace. I thought that's how we want to start the games. I thought defensively, we were talking better. Our pickup points were better. We were focused on getting consecutive stops like everyone was in on what we needed to do and I thought that first group did a really really good job."
Rae Burrell once again led the team in scoring with 20 points.

#roberts #defensively

LOS ANGELES -- This one felt over before it started.
The Sparks scored the first basket before the Dream scored nine in a row and never looked back. The lead grew to double figures in the first and it was all dust for the Sparks after that.
The Dream blitzed the Sparks all game to the point they nearly broke the record for most points for a team in a WNBA game. The final score was 124-88.
Rhyne Howard beat the first quarter buzzer with a three to put the Dream up, 34-12. The Sparks were never able to cut it to single digits.
"I do want to give Atlanta credit," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. "Man, they were good tonight and their shooting, to maintain that three-point shooting throughout 40 minutes is impressive. And their bench, starters, everybody, you know, (Angel) Reese going two for two (from three), nine for nine from the field, like, they were really good. And so, sometimes, you just have to take it on the chin and turn the page.

#first

Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA -- The Los Angeles Sparks lose to the Atlanta Dream, 124-88, at Crypto.com Arena on August 20th, 2026. The Sporting Tribune's Nico Alba was there to capture the following TST images.
Los Angeles Sparks coach Lynne Roberts is looking for answers after giving up a bucket during a WNBA game against the Atlanta Dream, Thursday August 20th, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune
Los Angeles Sparks coach Lynne Roberts is looking for answers after giving up a bucket during a WNBA game against the Atlanta Dream, Thursday August 20th, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Los Angeles Sparks forward Rae Burrell (12) tries to drive past the defense during a WNBA game against the Atlanta Dream, Thursday August 20th, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.

#atlanta

Lynne Spears is one proud grandma.
Britney Spears' mother shared some sweet snaps from her summer with her multiple grandchildren, including the pop icon's two sons – Sean Preston and Jayden James — on Instagram on Monday, August 17. One of the photos she posted to Instagram featured the two young men walking the runway at Paris Fashion Week.
"So proud of JJ and Preston walking in Paris Fashion Week," Lynne, 71, wrote across the picture.
Another image showed Jayden, 19, posing with a girl in front of the Eiffel Tower, which Lynne ***** led, "JJ and his beautiful girlfriend in Paris!"
She also included several photos of her daughter Jamie Lynn Spears' children — Maddie, 18, and Ivey, 8 — as well as her son Bryan Spears' daughter, Lexie, 15.

#lynne #jayden #Instagram #fashion

LOS ANGELES -- Different arena but the results weren't different from the last game.
It was another back-and-forth affair. The Sparks (12-20) took on the Mercury (13-22) at Galen Center in the University of Southern California. But it got away from them again as a late 8-0 run by Phoenix pretty much put the game away. The Sparks tried some late three-point shooting to catch up but it wasn't enough as the Mercury beat them in Los Angeles for the second straight game, 94-87.
It was not a great last few minutes for the Sparks. They turned the ball over seven times in the last five minutes of the game.
What happened in the last few minutes? Q by ECreates88 pic.twitter.com/gGDW5A2Igv
"I think it was the last four minutes when they went to the zone and we just kind of stopped moving it," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. "We got a little unsure. Zone offense is not rocket science. You just got to move the ball, I thought. We didn't shoot well, obviously. We had 14 more shot attempts than them but we shot poorly. And so they went to the zone because I think inside we had the advantage. And our shooting wasn't great but our quality of threes weren't great either down the last four or five minutes."

#great

LOS ANGELES -- The Sparks (12-19) take on the Phoenix Mercury (12-22). But in this instance, the Sparks will be playing at Galen Center in the University of Southern California.
This game had a lot of intrigue. After all, both teams made a big trade with each other. The Sparks sent Kelsey Plum to the Mercury in exchange for Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first round pick, and a 2028 second rounder.
It turns out that Plum will be out for this Tuesday game while Akoa Makani is listed as questionable. So Plum won't be able to take on her former team in her first return to L.A. since the trade occurred. The Sparks are 2-2 since the deal while the Mercury are 1-3.
The playoffs are blurry in both teams' view at this point so they gotta see what they have. And it's a little tough for both. Akoa Makani is under contract for next season but Plum is an unrestricted free agent after this season. Plum had mentioned that she was going to go through the full process of free agency so the Mercury have to show Plum why she should stay.
There are plenty of reasons to stay. Alyssa Thomas (who had a triple-double when they last visited L.A. on July 22nd) and Kahleah Copper are perennial all-stars. With Plum, they have a "big three" that they can call their own. Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts also encourages three-pointers in his system and Plum could similarly thrive in that as she did under Lynne Roberts in Los Angeles.

#plum #mercury

Brittany Mahomes could never be accused of not being a supportive wife. She is always at the Kansas City Chiefs football games to cheer on her quarterback husband Patrick Mahomes — and her outfits are often a bold combination of the team's red and gold colors. However, they don't always work for her. Throughout the years as a WAG, Mahomes has sported totally stylish outfits and fashion flops on game days, and the worst-dressed moments stand out the most.
Bold colors that didn't pay off, jackets that didn't match the vibe, and a pair of fuzzy sherpa pants have all made Brittany look less than her best at a Chiefs game. That doesn't mean she doesn't have style sense. After all, just look at how drop-dead gorgeous she was at a July 2026 wedding, and she has definitely had some head-turning Super Bowl looks!
Still, there's only so much you can do with a combo of red, gold, and white, so we don't blame Brittany for her swings and misses (still, maybe she could use this as a learning moment?). We can't help but cringe looking back at some of Brittany's worst-dressed sideline moments.
Read more: Male Celebrities Who Were Unrecognizable After Plastic Surgery
brittanylynne/Instagram

#mahomes #don 't

LOS ANGELES -- Close again but close doesn't count in the standings.
It was a back-and-forth affair for basically the entire game before the Liberty took a double-digit lead. The Sparks valiantly tried to make a comeback but fell short, 113-109.
It was definitely a frustrating game. The Sparks shot well at just over 60 percent. They set a franchise record in ***** ists at 35. They made 16 three-pointers. Six players scored in double figures. And they still came up short.
"I think we played well," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. "We had 30 points off of 18 turnovers, right? We were active, we were connected. Good offense beats good defense. There were some mistakes, obviously. We're not going to play perfect, neither did they. We made more field goals than them. We lost at the free throw line. It's hard to defend the shooter at the free throw line. So I'm proud of our team. Again, E said it, it's not moral victories but we can build on that. We had 35 ***** ists. That's a franchise record. We're playing the right way and you can go down the line. Rae (Burrell) was phenomenal attacking and a couple times she had a turnover, she got both of them back. That's winning basketball, right? We didn't get the reward of the win but I'm proud of the team."
How did they feel about their defense? Q by FlyByKnite pic.twitter.com/AwcuMNI00O

#right #close #double

LOS ANGELES -- The Sparks have been so close so many times. But in the end, they don't reach the finish line.
The Sparks were rallying back against the Mercury. They had a chance to tie or take the lead with 20 seconds left but Dearica Hamby missed what could've been the equalizing lay-up. The Mercury were able to get the rebound and Monique Akoa Makani converted a fastbreak lay-up with 14 seconds left to put the game out of reach. That would end up being the final score, 86-82, Mercury.
That play alone didn't lose the Sparks the game; L.A. had trouble once again with holding on to the ball. It's a recurring theme for the team as they had 18 turnovers against Mercury.
"I think just our execution needs to be better, attention to detail, our communication defensively," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. "They weren't doing anything that we didn't show on film and go over. We just got to be locked in. I felt like we were a little bit reactive defensively down the stretch rather than proactive.
"Yeah, it's just execution. Coming out of a timeout, executing what we just talked about," Roberts continued. "Yeah, being able to do what we're supposed to do."

#sparks #able

NBA Communications: The 2026 NBA All-Summer League Second Team: Cedric Coward, memgrizz Egor Dёmin, BrooklynNets Khaman Maluach, Suns Liam McNeeley, hornets Zyon Pullin, Timberwolves
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: The 2026 NBA All-Summer League Second Team:

#khaman

The WNBA set a regular-season attendance record Friday when the Toronto Tempo hosted the Dallas Wings in Montreal in front of 20,996 fans. It was a massive win for Canada, a country that hasn’t historically been known for its women’s basketball culture.
It’s been only three years since the league first forayed into Canada to host a preseason game in Toronto. Since then, the WNBA has had another exhibition game in Edmonton and a regular-season game in Vancouver before welcoming Toronto to the league in 2026. The Tempo haven’t just carved out a home in Toronto; they are working hard to become Canada’s team, setting the record in another province altogether.
Keep in mind that this is a country that didn’t even qualify for the 2026 FIBA World Cup, and the level of support becomes even more impressive. Canada is supporting a league that has only six rostered Canadian players.
As the WNBA continues its growth trajectory, capturing an international audience is an ideal route to keep the arrow pointing up. Los Angeles Sparks coach Lynne Roberts entertained the idea of playing games in Mexico as a nod to the team’s increasing Latino/a fanbase. More and more countries (including Slovenia, Denmark and South Korea) are represented in the league thanks to rising salaries and an improved player experience.
Montreal is just the start. The W should try to meet its fans anywhere and everywhere.

The Los Angeles Sparks didn't just snap a three-game losing streak Wednesday night. They looked like a different team.
After allowing Seattle to beat them on their home turf on Monday, the Sparks responded with one of their most complete performances of the season, beating the Indiana Fever 106-92 behind a defensive effort that head coach Lynne Roberts said was more important than the final score itself.
"I'm obviously thrilled we won," Roberts said. "But I'm more happy with how we played."
That defensive intensity quickly turned into offense.
The Sparks forced turnovers, jumped passing lanes and pushed the pace whenever they had the opportunity, finishing with 27 fast-break points and 60 points in the paint. Roberts said the team's commitment on the defensive end made everything else easier.

LOS ANGELES -- At some point, this gets real old.
The Sparks had eight days off after they had two bad losses on the road. They seemed refreshed, ready to go, and were eager to play.
And they came out flat and looked listless for nearly the entire game. The Storm stormed into Crypto.Com Arena and defeated the Sparks in their house, 82-64.
64 sounded great as a video game system 30 years ago when the WNBA was established. 64 isn't great as far as scoring that many points in a WNBA game.
"We just weren't good offensively," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. "I didn't anticipate... the vibe was good. The players were in it. We had a great week. Maybe it was that. I don't know. We just didn't have it on offense. I don't know what else to say other than that. 18 turnovers that led to fast break points. They had 38 points off of our turnovers and from their O-boards. But it might just have been one of those nights.

LOS ANGELES -- Head coaches need a lot of help. Each head coach has a slew of ****** istants that help them out and for the most part, they don't get a lot of publicity. But make no mistake; ****** istant coaches do a lot of work. And sometimes, it's the first step to them eventually becoming a head coach.
One such individual is Los Angeles Sparks ****** istant coach Zak Buncik. After a stint with the Dallas Wings, the Sparks hired Buncik for an ****** istant coach position before the 2025 season.
So we caught up with Coach Buncik after practice on Thursday and talked basketball, Sparks, coaching, and more basketball!
THE SPORTING TRIBUNE: What is your role on this team as ****** istant coach?
COACH ZAK BUNCIK: This year, it switched over from offense to defense. So me and (assistant coach) Ebony (Hoffman) are doing the defense this year so it's a little bit of an adjustment for me. I was with offense with (Sparks head coach) Lynne (Roberts) last year so that's my biggest role this year. And then, obviously, player development still with the players.

TORONTO -- The Sparks were caught in the most major crashout Marina Mabrey might ever have in her career.
Mabrey was relentless from the start, getting bucket after bucket. After 19 points in the first quarter, Mabrey went and tied the record for most points in a WNBA game with 53 huge points. The Tempo were in control from the start and never let up. The final? 125-97.
"I think we ran into a team that shot the ball," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. "In the first quarter, they shot 81%. Not always was it bad defense. Good offense beats good defense. I'm not saying we played great defense. I'm just saying (Mabrey)'s an incredible scorer and you have to tip your hat to her tonight. She was tremendous. Could we have done better? Yeah. I need to watch the film to be able to answer that (question about defense) with clarity."
Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Jun 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Tempo guard Marina Mabrey (3) reacts after making a basket against the Los Angeles Sparks in the first half at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

LOS ANGELES — Nneka Ogwumike couldn’t fight back the tears as the ESPN broadcast asked her what it meant to have a celebration of the WNBA’s evolution on her home court.
No. 30 hit the game-winner at the buzzer for the Los Angeles Sparks’ 98-97 victory over the New York Liberty on Sunday night to commemorate the league’s 30th season and honor all of the legends in the building who helped the franchise survive to this point. It was all too much for the 15-year veteran to process during her live interview minutes after the victory. Thus, the overflow of emotion.
“What a great moment, and the perfect person to hit that,” Los Angeles coach Lynne Roberts said.
The passage of time was omnipresent for the Sparks and Liberty. Lisa Leslie and Kym Hampton lined up at center court for the pregame tip-off, just as they did for the WNBA’s debut game on this date in 1997. Los Angeles legends DeLisha Milton-Jones and Tamecka Dixon were at Sparks practice on Saturday, and the New York Liberty welcomed original roster members Sue Wicks, Hampton, Teresa Weatherspoon and Vickie Johnson at their walk-through.
The history and the present of the league all intertwined Sunday, and Ogwumike — the fourth-leading scorer in WNBA history and the architect of the last two collective bargaining agreements as the players’ union president — tied it all together.

How Lewis Hamilton is seeking to evoke ****** nal’s success with Ferrari in Canada

For all the celebratory messages of jubilation emanating from the never-ending group of high-profile ****** nal supporters this week – from Sir Keir Starmer and Hugh Lawrie to Piers Morgan and Jess Glynne – Lewis Hamilton’s repost on Instagram was altogether more understated. “COYG,” the 41-year-old said, the common abbreviation for “Come on you Gunners.”
An ****** nal fan since he was five, Hamilton’s football fandom hit the realms of public discourse again four years ago, when he was part of a group of investors which, ultimately, failed to buy Chelsea. Many onlookers seemed stunned, not least Hamilton’s fierce rival Max Verstappen. “I am a PSV fan and I would never buy Ajax,” the Dutchman quipped, before adding: “I thought he was an ****** nal fan? And if you are an ****** nal fan going for Chelsea, that is quite interesting.”
Alas, it never materialised. Hamilton has also dipped his toes in the world of NFL, joining the Denver Broncos ownership group in 2022 after missing out on the Chelsea gig. And the Briton, seven times a champion of the world but only twice a grand prix race winner in the last four years and counting, would be wise to take a leaf out of as many sports as possible in his search for one final rebirth at the top of Formula 1.
Hamilton heads to Montreal’s unique street circuit this weekend – destination of his first win back in that glorious 2007 rookie season – with mixed feelings. Buoyed by early-season pace and a first Ferrari podium in China, the last round in Miami saw leading contenders such as McLaren and Red Bull make ground to pacesetters Mercedes. Not Ferrari, however.
While Charles Leclerc was penalised post-race and demoted, Hamilton was impacted from the start in Florida, his car damaged after a first-lap collision with Franco Colapinto. He ultimately finished sixth and now trails championship leader Kimi Antonelli – his replacement at Mercedes, of course – by 49 points.

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