Sparks go against Valkyries, look to sweep three-game road trip

SAN FRANCISCO — The Sparks (7-6) continue to get it done on the road.

The team is 5-1 away from L.A. and 2-0 on their current trip. After wins against the Storm and the Mercury, they look to run the table on this little voyage as they take on the Valkyries (8-5) in the Bay Area.

The Valkyries were a thorn on the Sparks' run to the playoffs last season, taking three out of four games against Los Angeles. Golden State coach Natalie Nakase has them playing grimy; they have the slowest pace in the league (the least possessions per game) and are tied for allowing the least points per contest. That team will make their opponents earn those points so scoring could become a premium in whatever game they're in.

Golden State also fires up the most three-pointers in the W. They're fourth in the league in three-point percentage and considering L.A. gives up a lot of three-point attempts, that is something to watch out for.

Gabby Williams was the Valkyries' big free agent signing over the offseason and she's having a career year in scoring with 15.7 points. Veronica Burton continues to be the fulcrum of the team and give fits to any opposing guard she takes on. The Most Improved Player from last season is averaging 14.4 points and 5.9 assists in 2026. Janelle Salaün is one of the best players off the bench this season at 14.3 points per. Their other big free agent signing, Kiah Stokes, holds it down defensively inside. And the team is just full of ballers like Kayla Thornton, Tiffany Hayes, Cecilia Zandalasini, and Kaitlyn Chen, to name a few. This Bay Area squad has gone from a cute story that had a Cinderella push to the playoffs to a possible serious contender to the crown.

The Sparks will go as far as Kelsey Plum takes them, who has had a stunning season. Leading the league in scoring at 26.6 points per game, Plum will do whatever it takes to get the job done.

"As I've continued to play in this league, you work on aspects of your game in the offseason," Plum said after the win against the Mercury when asked about what has been working this season. "And for me this year, I really took my weight room, strength and conditioning to another level. So I think that's part of it. Another thing is just mentally, I think I've grown and been a lot more patient.

"So I'm just trying to pick my spots and really just trying to play how the defense wants to play," Plum said. "And being very surrendering to the outcome. (The game against the Mercury) was awesome because we won. And I think for me, that's really my focus in this league is like just trying to impact winning."

"She'll credit her teammates and all the things but the work she puts in and her will to win is the best in the league," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said.

Plum's leadership has also taken the next level.

"KP has just been great," Sparks wing Rae Burrell said after Saturday's game in Phoenix. "She's been such a great leader. Like she said, she works on her patience. She is really patient with us. She puts everybody in such great positions. And she took over at the end of the game. We needed her and she did it. She got the job done and still was able to make such great plays and great decisions. That kickout to the extra pass to (Cameron Brink's four-point play), just stuff like that. It's just been really good for us to have a leader like KP. 

"And she talks to everybody, too," Burrell continued. "There's nothing like you can't really talk to her about. She's so good at communicating and just keeping us together and also holding us accountable at the same time. So, I can't say enough. She's been great."

Of course, Plum will need all the help from her Sparks teammates. Nneka Ogwumike has averaged nearly 14 boards in her last three games. Dearica Hamby steadies the ship when the Sparks need her. Burrell is averaging double digits (10.4) in scoring this season. Cameron Brink has been a stabilizer defensively. And Erica Wheeler has hit big shots all season long. They're starting to look like the Sparks team (3-2 in the Commissioner's Cup) that Coach Roberts has envisioned for 2026.

The Valkyries will look to disrupt that while the Sparks hope to win their fourth straight game before going back to Los Angeles.