Crypto.com Arena turned into a pressure cooker Monday night, and the L.A. Sparks were the ones steaming. With key guards Kelsey Plum and Odyssey Sims out and rookie Grace Berger thrown into the fire, the Sparks crumbled under a suffocating Seattle defense in a 98–67 defeat that felt even worse than the score.
From the jump, the Storm dictated tempo. Nneka Ogwumike—on a mission against her former team—poured in 26 points with surgical efficiency. Gabby Williams was everywhere at once, racking up a franchise-record eight steals. The Sparks coughed up 24 turnovers, and the Storm cashed in with 31 points off those mistakes. The energy in the building turned from hopeful to hollow by halftime.
Despite the final result, this wasn’t a team that quit. Rickea Jackson led L.A. with 17 points, and Azurá Stevens notched a hard-earned double-double with 16 points and 10 boards. But flashes of individual brilliance couldn’t overcome a lack of rhythm, ball movement, or healthy bodies. Too many possessions ended in prayer shots and desperation.
The third quarter told the whole story: Seattle outscored L.A. 26–12 and led by as many as 26. Even the Sparks’ hustle plays—diving saves, second-chance boards—only highlighted how much harder they had to work for half the result. With no bench spark and no primary ball handler, their offense collapsed into static.
After the game, head coach Curt Miller didn’t mince words: “It’s not effort. It’s availability. We’re asking players to do things they’ve never done at this level. That’s not a sustainable game plan, but it’s the one we’ve got right now.”
For a team built on defensive grit and transition flow, the turnovers were lethal. Seattle’s length and anticipation closed every passing lane before L.A. could breathe. Shey Peddy and Berger showed flashes of promise, but too many possessions stalled before they could even begin.
This was L.A.’s fourth straight loss and drops them to 4–9 on the season. And yet, there’s still a sense that this team hasn’t fully revealed itself. With Plum expected back in the coming weeks and Sims possibly returning soon, the Sparks will need to recalibrate quickly to salvage any postseason hope.
Next up: a road test in Minnesota. If this team wants to stay in the playoff conversation, it’s going to take more than Band-Aids and box score bright spots. It’s going to take belief—and bodies.
