Regardless of Azura Stevens serving to the Sparks meet up with the Storm with 17 second-half factors, the Sparks couldn’t overcome Seattle’s late push within the fourth quarter to fall 89-83 at Crypto.com Enviornment Tuesday afternoon.
Coming off a 41-37 first half lead, the Storm shortly took cost to construct a game-high 12 level lead within the third quarter. Nevertheless, a rally by the Sparks late within the third quarter whittled the hole to 3 heading into the fourth.
Stevens led the Sparks with 24 factors and 15 rebounds whereas Rae Burrell added a career-high-tying 18 factors.
Jewell Lloyd led the Storm with 30 factors, six rebounds and 7 assists whereas Nneka Ogwumike contributed 23 factors, 10 rebounds and 6 steals.
The Sparks shot 28 for 69 from the sector whereas Seattle was 31 for 68 capturing.
Tuesday’s contest noticed the return of Ogwumike, the previous Sparks star who left the membership in free company, signing a one-year contract with the Storm.
Regardless of being in a special uniform, Ogwumike’s return to Los Angeles meant lots to Sparks head coach Curt Miller, whose determination to take the Sparks head coach place — after beforehand serving as an assistant coach in 2015 — was largely due to Ogwumike.
“Nneka and the entire Ogwumike household have been an enormous a part of my WNBA journey,” Miller stated. “Once I bought a begin on this league with the Sparks in 2015, one of many particular first-year alternatives for me was that loaded Sparks crew that included [Ogwumike]. She was an enormous a part of that first yr and why I’ve such an appreciation for this franchise. I wished the chance to construct along with her coming again right here. She deserves an unbelievable welcome again.”
After a layup by the Storm’s Skyler Diggens-Smith opened the competition, the Sparks struggled to get on the board till a basket by Dearica Hamby greater than 4 minutes into the primary quarter. The Sparks discovered some momentum, nonetheless, to shut the hole at 19-17 by the top of the primary quarter.
It was an enormous first half for Burrell, who gave the Sparks their first lead of the sport with an early three-pointer within the second quarter and would go on to steer the crew with 12 of her 18 factors within the first half.
Regardless of efforts by Burrell and Rickea Jackson, who notched 10 factors and three rebounds within the first half, a shot by Ogwumike with 1:32 left within the half gave the Storm again the lead. Stevens stopped the run with a three-pointer to finish the half at a 41-37 deficit.
The Sparks return to motion Aug. 15 in opposition to the New York Liberty at Crypto.com Enviornment after a break for the WNBA All-Star recreation on the Paris Olympics.
Within the meantime, 4 Sparks gamers will start preparation for the 2024 Olympics, together with Hamby for Workforce USA. Whereas packing is the main focus for Hamby after Tuesday’s recreation, she’s going to begin Olympic preparations with a Thursday follow.
“That’s the main focus proper now however it’ll actually begin to set in quickly,” Hamby stated. “This yr has been one in every of my greatest and whereas clearly you need to win championships this yr means lots to me as a result of it was very intentional, I set targets for myself and I’m reaching them.”