The Sparks couldn't find their footing on the road Monday night, falling 78-58 to the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center. Los Angeles came in looking to extend its own winning streak to three games and build on the best 7-6 start to a season since 2020, but a sluggish opening quarter put the team in a hole they could never dig out of.
First Quarter
It was a quiet start for this Sparks offense, going scoreless for the first four minutes before Kelsey Plum, who leads the league at 26.6 points per game, knocked down a three to get the team on the board. That shot was a reminder of what Plum can do from anywhere on the floor, but it wasn't enough to spark the group. The Valkyries, by contrast, were patient and deliberate, picking their spots and shooting better than 60% from the field. The lone highlight of the quarter for LA was Nneka Ogwumike reaching 7,500 career points, moving into fourth on the all-time scoring list.
Second Quarter
Cameron Brink set the tone for Los Angeles early, with a big block followed by back-to-back layups that accounted for almost all of her team's points to open the period. The Sparks bench tried to answer, with Rae Burrell making some athletic, high-energy plays, but turnovers kept getting in the way. LA finished the half with 8 turnovers, which the Valkyries turned into 12 points, while Golden State committed just 4. The Sparks also shot a cold 1-for-8 from three. With the offense unable to find any consistency, Golden State took a 45-26 lead.
First Quarter
It was a quiet start for this Sparks offense, going scoreless for the first four minutes before Kelsey Plum, who leads the league at 26.6 points per game, knocked down a three to get the team on the board. That shot was a reminder of what Plum can do from anywhere on the floor, but it wasn't enough to spark the group. The Valkyries, by contrast, were patient and deliberate, picking their spots and shooting better than 60% from the field. The lone highlight of the quarter for LA was Nneka Ogwumike reaching 7,500 career points, moving into fourth on the all-time scoring list.
Second Quarter
Cameron Brink set the tone for Los Angeles early, with a big block followed by back-to-back layups that accounted for almost all of her team's points to open the period. The Sparks bench tried to answer, with Rae Burrell making some athletic, high-energy plays, but turnovers kept getting in the way. LA finished the half with 8 turnovers, which the Valkyries turned into 12 points, while Golden State committed just 4. The Sparks also shot a cold 1-for-8 from three. With the offense unable to find any consistency, Golden State took a 45-26 lead.
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