Sparks cant keep pace with defending champion

Before the Sparks opening day loss to the Las Vegas Aces, coach Lynne Roberts said that this yr “felt different.”

After one sport, though, it feels a lot just like the same.

During their season opener, the Sparks couldn’t get momentum against the defending champion Aces and fell 105-78 behind a remarkably environment friendly taking pictures day from the guests at Crypto.com Arena.

After posting the worst protection in the WNBA last season (88.2 factors per sport), the Sparks made a flurry of offseason strikes prioritizing stopping opponents. It’s why they introduced in Nneka Ogwumike, Ariel Atkins and Erica Wheeler.

But the Aces shot 63% from the ground and the Sparks had few solutions.

“Today was on us,” Ogwumike said. “Defense is not something that gels. You either want to do it or you don’t.”

Reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson led the Aces with 19 factors, Jackie Young had 20 factors and 9 assists and Chennedy Carter added 22 factors in her first WNBA sport since 2024.

The Aces, who had been coming off a 33-point blowout opening day loss to Phoenix on Saturday, scored 33 of their factors in the third quarter and that’s when the wheels fell off for the Sparks. Las Vegas shot 73.7% during the quarter.

“I think that was probably one of my worst one-on-one defending nights,” Ogwumike said. “But defense is definitely not something that you guys should be sitting here watching and hoping we get it down by the end of the month. You should see it on Wednesday.”

Kelsey Plum scored 11 of her 27 factors in the fourth quarter, but by then the Aces had opened a 20-plus level lead.

The Sparks narrowed the deficit to one by halftime following an Ogwumike (19 factors, 10 rebounds) three-pointer and backhand layup late in the second. But principally, the Sparks’ protection activated, forcing 10 Las Vegas turnovers, led by two steals apiece from Atkins and Wheeler to fuel the comeback.

That power was gone by the third quarter after the Aces began doubling Ogwumike, and apart from Plum, the Sparks’ offense had no solutions.

“They punched us in the face,” Plum said. “We didn’t respond. And obviously, they’re a great team, right? When someone is shooting 63% it’s going to be hard to win that game. … I’m disappointed in our effort.”

Of the Sparks’ 19 turnovers, 10 got here in the second half. The Aces scored 26 factors off those giveaways, which made issues even more troublesome on the protection.

“Turnovers are, you’re just leading the other team to a fast break,” Roberts said. “And so we were giving them the turnovers, then there are two individual players who are expected to get a defensive stop after the turnover.”

They also need more from reserve middle Cameron Brink (0 factors, 0-for-0 taking pictures, three rebounds, three fouls in eight minutes) and Wheeler (two factors, 1-for-11 in 20 minutes) going ahead. Once Brink obtained in foul hassle, the Aces might continue blitzing Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby (12 factors, 5 rebounds) without fear.

“We need Cam to produce,” Roberts said. “We need Cam to bring that defensive energy. We have so much confidence and belief in her. She’s got to get out on the floor with some confidence and do what she’s capable of doing, but we’re going to need her.”

If the Sparks have turned a nook from last season, they may need to discover consistency on the defensive end of the ground. It gained’t get simpler with Caitlin Clark and Indiana (0-1) coming to city on Wednesday.

But the rationale the Sparks constructed the roster that they did was to stop opponents after falling short of the postseason with the league’s third-best scoring crew in the league.

“The good thing about this league is that we play in a day or two,” Plum said. “So, we’ll fix things.”