Although they lost to the Atlanta Dream 92-81 in their home opener, the Los Angeles Sparks displayed strong qualities that could help them contend as the season continues.
“Our starters just played incredibly hard,” said Sparks head coach Curt Miller. “Big night by a lot of them.”
Guard Kia Nurse led the Sparks with 23 points while guard Layshia Clarendon secured her first triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
“Always being a scoring threat who’s especially good at the point guard position because you’re facilitating so much … assisting is definitely my job, it’s like create good shots for my teammates,” Clarendon said. “I’ve always loved to be a guard that hangs around the free throw line and chases down those boards and then I got the ball and I get the push.”
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Clarendon scored the fourth triple double in the history of the franchise and the first one since Chelsea Gray committed the feat in a win against the Washington Mystics in July 2019. Her 13 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists helped the Sparks defeat the Mystics 98-81.
Forward Dearica Hamby scored 20 points, making 13 of her points in the first half.
“I just came into camp very clear minded and have very clear intentions on what I wanted the season to look like for me personally,” Hamby said. “The consistency that I’ve shown in camp and in the preseason and this first game, they kind of know I mean business now.”
The Sparks hit 12 three-pointers in the matchup, five of which came from Nurse.
“If we play with that energy and that intensity and a couple things bounce our way, a couple of those runs go our way … we win that game,” Nurse said. “With that energy and that effort and the chemistry we played with today, we’re gonna win a lot of games.”
Los Angeles tied with Atlanta at the end of the first three quarters. The Dream went on an 11-point run to start the fourth.
“I take it as my responsibility that a lot of starters got tired at the end of the third quarter all at the same time,” Miller said. “I had to substitute more players at one time at the start of the fourth quarter than I would have liked.”
Atlanta guard Rhyne Howard led all scorers with 25 points and veteran Tina Charles poured in 25 points.
“That Atlanta team was really good, that’s made the playoffs, has been together,” Clarendon said. “I think we’re gonna have one of the best benches in the league and some really good people who can impact the game.”
The Sparks head to Las Vegas to battle the defending back-to-back champions Aces on Saturday May 18 at noon.
