Following the Sparks blowout loss to Las Vegas on Sunday, Nneka Ogwumike made a promise; on Wednesday, the defense would be better.
Against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, the Sparks’ defense fizzled in the first half and couldn’t generate shooting consistency until it was far too late during an 87-78 loss at Crypto,com Arena, their second consecutive to start the season.
Kelsey Plum scored 25 points and Dearica Hamby added 16 points and eight rebounds, but the Sparks were never really in it against the high-powered Fever.
The Sparks finished with 19 turnovers, which the Fever (1-1) converted into 24 points.
The first quarter was a track meet. Indiana shot 53% and the Sparks went 47% from the floor, even with Cameron Brink’s monster block on Clark.
Indiana extended an 11-point lead midway through the second quarter. By halftime, it was a 14-point deficit for the Sparks.
The Fever shot nine for 15 (60%) in that second quarter, including four for 10 from three-point range while the Sparks lost five turnovers. Some shots didn’t fall for the Sparks, but the perimeter defense was the primary problem.
Indiana outscored the Sparks 20-18 in the third quarter to lead by as much as 21, and though the Fever’s shooting finally cooled to five for 14, the Sparks’ offense didn’t produce enough to come back.
Behind some late baskets from Brink during an 11-3 run, the Sparks cut it to a seven-point deficit with just under two minutes left in the fourth. Rookie guard Chance Gray played much of that quarter with Ariel Atkins out for most of the half with a head injury.
For much of the game, small forward Rae Burrell guarded Clark, who netted 24 points with nine assists, but it was Kelsey Mitchell’s night, too, as the shooting guard finished with 23 points.
The Sparks will face the expansion Toronto Tempo on Friday.
Etc.
Before the game, Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said forward Sania Feagin strained her lower left leg during the off day on Monday and will be out “for a little bit,” but the hope was that it’s not serious. … Atkins left Wednesday’s game against the Fever during the third quarter with a head injury and didn’t return. She finished with two points on free throws while shooting 0 for 4 from the field in 16 minutes.
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