Sparks fade in second half, falling to Minnesota | College News

You only get one shot at a first impression — and for the Sparks, led by a first-year coach and a new famous person, Sunday marked the home crowd’s first glimpse of the new-look squad inside Crypto.com Arena.

With high aspirations, including a return to the playoffs, the Sparks confronted an early litmus take a look at in the Minnesota Lynx — a perennial contender and final yr’s WNBA runner-up, led by one of the league’s elite skills in Napheesa Collier.

The Sparks confirmed they’re clearly succesful of competing for a playoff spot with their energetic and cohesive play, but their 89-75 loss to Minnesota also demonstrated they’re still behind the league’s elite groups.

In the first half, the Sparks (1-1) went toe-to-toe with the Lynx. They trailed 46-45 at halftime, an encouraging begin for a group studying to gel under new management while dealing with a battle-tested opponent returning 5 starters from final yr’s Finals run.

Dearica Hamby led the charge on the offensive glass, relentlessly changing at the free-throw line. She led the Sparks with 20 factors and 10 rebounds for her second straight double-double.

Azurá Stevens was unshaken on catch-and-shoot appears, confidently letting it fly on her approach to a team-high 21 factors. Rickea Jackson added a bodily presence, attacking defenders and establishing herself in the lane.

But by the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Sparks trailed by eight. They mounted a transient comeback, sparked by a Kelsey Plum steal that led to a transition layup, reducing the deficit to 80-75. A gritty defensive stand adopted, with rookie Sarah Ashlee Barker and Collier hitting the deck for a unfastened ball, setting up one other Sparks possession.

But missed alternatives on the offensive finish allowed the Lynx (2-0) to regain momentum and push the lead to double digits — a margin that proved an excessive amount of to overcome.

Already shorthanded, the Sparks suffered one other blow when Jackson went down after a exhausting collision late in the third quarter. She remained on the ground for a couple of minutes before strolling off with the help of trainers. Jackson watched the remainder of the sport from the bench.

Stevens was a much-needed contributor, showcasing the abilities she labored on during the offseason, notably her improved three-point taking pictures. She scored 12 of the group’s first 17 factors, making her first trio of three-point makes an attempt to give the Sparks an early lead.

Defensively, Stevens drew the robust project of containing Collier, a matchup nightmare for all the Sparks unit. Coming off a 34-point outing Friday that tied her profession high, Collier scored 23 factors.

The Sparks leaned closely on Plum in their season-opening win Friday against Golden State, logging 40 minutes — a workload coach Lynne Roberts referred to as “unsustainable.” To lighten the load, Roberts turned to Barker for essential minutes at the purpose.

While Barker wasn’t stellar offensively, she performed 24 minutes and introduced a much-needed jolt of defensive vitality. Plum completed with 18 factors and 5 assists.

It marked Barker’s first recreation at Crypto.com Arena — a milestone for the self-proclaimed “Mamba Mentality” disciple, stepping up for a depleted backcourt. With just 4 healthy guards accessible, the group continues to navigate Rae Burrell’s absence as she recovers from a knee harm that is anticipated to keep her out six to eight weeks.