Despite their strong performance in the first half, the Los Angeles Sparks fell to the Minnesota Lynx 89-75 in their home opener. The undermanned Sparks endured offensive struggles in the second half, only scoring 30 points in the time frame.
“Minnesota amped up their pressure and we were a little bit disjointed and kind of got away from playing the way we want to play,” said Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts. “That synergy out there went away … momentum kinda shifted and we couldn’t come up with the collective chemistry to get going on offense.”
Center Azurá Stevens led the Sparks with 21 points. Her three-point shooting helped the Sparks in the first quarter. She ultimately shot at 57.1 percent from three-point range in the matchup.
“I think our guards just came out really aggressive attacking and then they were sucking in every time and they were spraying the ball and I was just being confident,” Stevens said. “Obviously it’s new, we’re learning [Roberts’] system but I think that’s to our advantage any night.”
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Forward Dearica Hamby made a second consecutive double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
“This team is super talented … it’s going to be anybody’s game any night,” Hamby said. “I think it’s going to be what works, what the other team’s defensive scheme is and what’s working for us.”
The game saw six ties and nine lead changes. The Sparks were shooting at 40 percent from deep. During the third, Minnesota found ways to make stops while attacking the paint on offense.
“We got to be mentally tougher,” Roberts said. “When you’re playing a championship-level team and they see some frustration, they see some cracks, they’re going to step on your throat.”
The Sparks are also grappling with injury woes. Center Cameron Brink and guard Julie Allemand are out with left knee injuries, while forward Rae Burrell is sidelined with a leg injury.
Forward Rickea Jackson sustained a face injury; she scored eight points and three rebounds. Rookie guard Sarah Ashlee Barker took on the extra minutes, making six points and three rebounds.
“We’re a little bit thin in the guard line but [Barker] did a good job,” Roberts said. “She’s just fearless … She crashes the boards, she plays hard defensively.”
The Sparks will travel to clash against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday, May 21, at 7:00P.M. PDT.
