Sparks’ fourth quarter rally falls short in 84-78 loss to Valkyries
Dakayla Hawkins
Host · Writer
LOS ANGELES — “Every time we put on the uniform as a group, we want to win,” Los Angeles Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts told the media ahead of the Sparks hosting the Golden State Valkyries. “And I don’t care where we stand. I know it’s a small chance, but we still can make the playoffs if things fall right.”
When the final buzzer sounded Sunday, the scoreboard at Crypto.com Arena read 84-78, with the Valkyries walking off the court victorious.
Unfortunately for the Sparks, they were not one win closer to securing a playoff spot. Instead, the team from Northern California came to the City of Angels and continued to show why it is one of the top teams in the league.
From the opening tip, the Valkyries played with composure and cohesiveness, building a sizable lead early. A 3-pointer from forward Cecilia Zandalasini gave Golden State a 20-7 advantage in the first quarter and helped establish control of the game.
That comfort lasted for much of the first three quarters. It wasn't until the fourth that the Valkyries finally had to look over their shoulders.
The Sparks have hit a rough patch, falling short in eight of their last 10 games. But after Sunday's loss, they could at least hold their heads high knowing they fought until the end.
“I think today was kind of more of a mind-over-matter type of day,” Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike said following the game.
Ogwumike, who leads the Sparks with 17.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, said the difference came down to the little things and paying closer attention to details.
The fight the Sparks displayed in the fourth quarter was something Ogwumike took pride in.
“I am happy that we didn’t just acquiesce, you know, to the results of the first quarter,” Ogwumike said.
By the final minutes, the Sparks had the crowd on the edge of its seats, if not on its feet. Los Angeles erased much of what had been a 19-point Golden State lead and outscored the Valkyries 31-20 in the fourth quarter.
When Rae Burrell converted a driving layup to cut Golden State's lead to 10, the Sparks continued to apply pressure. On their next possession, guard Erica Wheeler knocked down a 16-foot jumper to pull Los Angeles within eight and spark a renewed sense of hope throughout the arena.
“I said in the locker room, I was like, ‘Yeah, the results are not what we want, but we fought like hell out there,’” Wheeler said. “I just think that we just need to continue this momentum and play together and stay connected. … And I think we just need to start how we played that fourth quarter.”
The Sparks have plenty of talent on their roster, but Roberts stressed the importance of not allowing frustration to creep in. She specifically pointed to Burrell, the 26-year-old sharpshooter who faced some of Golden State's best defenders throughout the game.
Los Angeles also finds itself navigating a period of significant change. Burrell has moved into a starting role after previously coming off the bench, while WNBA star Kelsey Plum was traded away at the beginning of August.
The Sparks showed in the fourth quarter Sunday that they are still willing to fight, even as their playoff hopes continue to fade. The question now is whether they can bottle the urgency, energy and execution they displayed over those final 10 minutes and carry it into an entire game.
As Wheeler put it, the Sparks need to start games the way they finished this one.
