In a rollercoaster of a game on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena, the Los Angeles Sparks suffered a tough 85-80 loss to the Phoenix Mercury, marking their third consecutive defeat of the season. The Sparks had built a commanding 18-point lead in the first half but were unable to hold on as the Mercury mounted a furious comeback, fueled by a dominant third quarter.
The Sparks started the game with a bang, led by guard Odyssey Sims, who poured in 14 of her game-high 32 points in the opening quarter. Sims was relentless, attacking the basket with ferocity and hitting key shots to give the Sparks an early edge. The team shot an impressive 48.8% from the field in the first half and was a scorching 40% from beyond the arc, with Sarah Ashlee Barker coming off the bench to drain two consecutive three-pointers, helping extend the lead to as much as 18 points.
Los Angeles' starting lineup featured Julie Allemand, Dearica Hamby, Azurá Stevens, Odyssey Sims, and Kelsey Plum, a fresh configuration that sparked the team's best first quarter of the season. The Sparks took a 50-37 lead into halftime, looking comfortable and confident. Coach Lynne Roberts emphasized the importance of consistency and transition defense before the game, noting, "There's got to be an intensity and a focus and a commitment to doing the simple things. Simple doesn't mean easy. Sprinting back in transition isn't easy but it's simple. We've got to do the simple things for 40 minutes to give ourselves a good shot." However, the second half would prove to be a different story.
The third quarter became the undoing of the Sparks. They were outscored 24-9, a collapse reminiscent of their previous loss to the Mercury on May 21, where they also managed just seven points in the third quarter. Phoenix’s Kathryn Westbeld caught fire, knocking down three three-pointers in the quarter and leading the Mercury’s charge. Her open three-pointer with 2:11 left in the third gave Phoenix their first lead of the game at 58-57, capping a 23-7 run that swung momentum decisively in the Mercury’s favor.
Satou Sabally, the Mercury’s leading scorer, was a constant threat, finishing with 24 points, nine rebounds, and four steals. She was fouled hard by Kelsey Plum on a layup and celebrated with an and-one, which she later revealed was aimed at Sparks assistant coach Zak Buncik, saying, "Well, he just motivated me a little bit. So, I was telling him, ‘Thanks.’" Sabally’s physical play and fiery energy underscored Phoenix’s comeback, and her back-to-back three-pointers in the fourth quarter helped seal the win.
Despite the Sparks’ struggle in the third, their resilience kept them close. Odyssey Sims continued to fight, scoring 15 of the Sparks’ 30 second-half points, including a critical and-one that gave Los Angeles a brief 62-61 lead in the fourth quarter. Dearica Hamby also contributed significantly with 15 points, eight rebounds, and two assists, while Kelsey Plum added 15 points and six rebounds, though Plum struggled with her shooting, going 4 for 19 from the field and missing all 10 of her three-point attempts.
The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth battle, with the lead changing hands multiple times. The Sparks tied the game at 74 with Hamby’s and-one, but Phoenix responded with six straight points, including clutch shots from Sabally and rookie guard Monique Akoa Makani. Plum made four consecutive free throws to narrow the gap to two points late, but missed a potential go-ahead three-pointer as time wound down. A turnover on the ensuing possession allowed Kitija Laksa to sink two crucial free throws, extending Phoenix’s lead to 82-78 with less than 20 seconds remaining. Westbeld added two more free throws to push the lead to 84-80, and despite Hamby’s missed free throws in the final seconds, Sabally sealed the victory with a free throw.
The Sparks finished shooting 36.6% overall and 22.9% from three-point range, with all eight of their made threes coming in the first half. Their inability to convert from beyond the arc in the second half was a significant factor in their downfall. Coach Roberts lamented, "This game came down to us not shooting great. We had eight threes in the first half. We finished with eight. They had the same amount of field goals we did. They just hit four more threes." The team’s 13 turnovers, most of them in the second half, also contributed to the momentum shift.
Roberts, in her first season as a WNBA head coach, is still adjusting to the rigors of the league, including limited practice time and a grueling schedule that has seen the Sparks play seven games in 15 days. She said, "Sometimes we have a bad day. It's a bad day to have a bad day. We have a lead like that, but that's the game." The team’s inconsistency, especially in transition defense and maintaining focus through all four quarters, remains a work in progress.
Looking ahead, the Sparks face a challenging stretch, with eight of their next eleven games on the road. Their next matchup is against the Dallas Wings on Friday, June 6, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. PT. The team will need to find ways to build on their promising starts and close out games more effectively to turn their season around.
On the Phoenix side, despite missing All-Star forwards Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper due to leg injuries, the Mercury showcased depth and resilience. Alongside Sabally’s standout performance, Westbeld and Laksa each scored 15 points, Sami Whitcomb added 11 points with three made threes, and Monique Akoa Makani contributed 10 points and six assists. Phoenix improved to 5-2 and will continue their road trip against Minnesota on Tuesday, June 3, 2025.
The game served as the kickoff for the Commissioner's Cup in-season tournament, adding extra stakes to the rivalry. The Sparks, who lost the first meeting 89-86 in Phoenix on May 21, will look to avenge those losses and find consistency moving forward. With a tough schedule ahead, the team’s ability to execute the simple fundamentals Coach Roberts emphasizes will be critical.
In the end, the Sparks’ slow third quarter and cold shooting in the second half proved too much to overcome, but the fight shown by Sims, Hamby, and Plum offers hope. As Sims put it, "We keep saying the same things over and over, kind of beating a dead horse at this point, but it's going to be less talking about it, and more doing it." The Sparks know what they need to fix — now it’s all about making it happen on the court.
