With two weeks left within the WNBA common season, the Los Angeles Sparks stand 1 1/2 video games behind Seattle for the final of eight playoff spots.
However to make use of an outdated hockey time period, Los Angeles has one main benefit: Video games in hand.
The Sparks have eight video games left, three greater than the Storm. And the primary of these is at dwelling Friday night time towards the Indiana Fever.
The Sparks (17-19) are coming off a 92-84 loss Tuesday night time to Phoenix, which led by as many as 16 factors within the fourth quarter. Three-point protection was a serious downside because the Mercury hit 11 of 25 whereas Los Angeles made solely 7 of 24.
“That is the place the distinction within the sport is,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts mentioned. “We sometimes shoot it higher. We’re scrapping for our lives … we’re all taking part in for one thing.”
To succeed in the postseason, Los Angeles should enhance on protection, the place it is permitting a league-worst 88.5 factors per sport. Their offense has countered a number of the defensive shortcomings averaging 86.3 ppg, second within the league. Kelsey Plum leads the group with 20.4 ppg.
Whereas the Sparks attempt to soar again into the playoff image, Indiana (20-18) is presently within the discipline because the sixth seed. The Fever are coming off one in every of their finest video games of the 12 months, a 95-75 rout at dwelling Tuesday night time towards Seattle.
Aliyah Boston scored a game-high 27 factors in simply 27 minutes, whereas Odyssey Sims added 22 and Kelsey Mitchell hit for 21. Indiana earned a 42-21 rebounding benefit and led by as many as 32 factors within the fourth quarter.
“I felt like this was as near 40 minutes as we have put collectively constantly in a very long time,” mentioned Fever coach Stephanie White.
This sport begins a pivotal three-game western highway journey for Indiana, which additionally heads to Golden State and Phoenix. The Fever will in all probability nonetheless be with out Caitlin Clark, who’s been out since July 16 with a groin harm, in the course of the journey.
Los Angeles has received the primary three conferences of the groups this 12 months, together with a 100-91 determination at dwelling on Aug. 5.
–Discipline Stage Media
