Depleted Sparks can’t weather Storm in blowout loss

LOS ANGELES — Playing without leading scorer Kelsey Plum and guard Odyssey Sims, the Sparks proved no match for the Seattle Storm. The short-handed hosts trailed by 35 points in the second half and had few answers for a stifling defensive effort from the Storm in a 98-67 loss on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

“Obviously we miss (Plum), we miss Odyssey, we miss Julie (Allemand), those are our three lead guards and no one of them are here,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. “The second half, we couldn’t get a stop.”

The Sparks (4-9) shot 32.8% from the field (21 for 64) on their way to a season-low point total. They were outscored 28-14 in the third quarter, trailed 75-51 heading into the fourth and lost their second straight game.

“You can’t panic,” Roberts said. “You can’t freak out. You have to maintain perspective. I still believe strongly in this group and we’re not even close to full strength at all.”

The Sparks had five players on the injury report in Plum (left lower leg), Sims (not with team, personal reasons), Allemand (overseas commitment), Cameron Brink (left knee) and Rae Burrell (right knee).

Rickea Jackson led the Sparks with 17 points but shot 4 for 15 from the field. Azurá Stevens had 16 points (6-of-16 shooting) and 10 rebounds, and rookie guard Sarah Ashlee Barker added 12 points (4 for 5 from 3-point range) and seven rebounds. Dearica Hamby finished with a season-low eight points.

“I think like Coach said, obviously we have key people out but we have enough to still execute and get things done,” Stevens said. “It starts defensively. Just try to lead more with my defense and build on the positive things, not everything was a loss tonight. There’s still things we have build from so just taking that and moving on to the next game.”

Former Spark Nneka Ogwumike scored a season-high 26 points on 12-of-16 shooting and Gabby Williams set a franchise record for steals for the Storm (7-5), who shot 52% from the field while winning for the fourth time in five games. Skylar Diggins and Eric Wheeler added 15 points each. Williams, who finished with 11 points, eight steals and seven assists, limped off the court with an ankle sprain with eight minutes remaining. Alysha Clark added 14 points and shot 4 for 5 from 3-point range.

“What makes Seattle tough is, like you’ve said, they’ve got a lot vets,” Roberts continued. “They’re disciplined with what they run. They’re very execution driven.”

Seattle shot 13 for 30 from 3-point range, had 29 assists on its 39 made baskets, turned 22 Sparks turnovers into 31 points and had 24 fast-break points.

“It is what it is, but not having any of our point guards I think showed a little bit,” Roberts said. “But regardless of that, we’ve got to be able to defend. We can’t give up 98 points and expect to beat anybody.”

Sarah Ashlee Barker, Lynne Roberts and Azura Stevens on the Sparks’ 98-67 loss at home to the Seattle Storm.

The Sparks played without their three point guards with Kelsey Plum, Odyssey Sims and Julie Allemand sidelined.

Rookie guard Sarah Ashlee Barker and hardship point… pic.twitter.com/BYYBj1mpHv

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 18, 2025

A Barker 3-pointer gave the Sparks an early 11-6 lead, but the Storm put together an 11-0 run and pulled ahead 18-17 on a Skylar Diggins 3-pointer with 2:44 left in the first quarter and never looked back.

“I want to finish at the rim better but KP (Plum) kind of looked at me and was like you’re not intentionally going in to miss,” Barker said. “Don’t be mad at yourself for missing it and I think that’s something that’s going to be a learning curve for me.”

The Sparks scored the first five points of the second period and clawed to within two on three occasions. After Jackson matched Williams’ 3-pointer with one of her own for the Sparks, Diggins made another 3-pointer and Ogwumike added back-to-back baskets. Ogwumike’s mid-range jumper with 4.6 seconds left gave the Storm a 47-37 halftime cushion.

With Plum (20.9 ppg) and Sims (10.5 ppg) out, the Sparks had just three healthy guards available, including two players who were signed to hardship contracts in recent days. Shey Peddy, who signed on Saturday, started at guard along with Barker. Grace Berger, signed Tuesday, played 16 minutes off the bench.

“I thought Shey and Grace did a good job. They did what they could, but it’s hard to execute stuff if they’ve had so little time to digest,” Roberts explained. “It’s not anyone’s fault. It’s the reality. I thought they competed, but you know that point guard spot is obviously very important. I’m more concerned about our defense right now.”

In her second game with the team, Peddy finished with six points in 24 minutes. Berger did not score.

“We had three hardship players on the floor at one point,” Roberts said. “There’s a reality to that and that’s not an excuse. We need to be better, but I think you have to give Seattle some credit.”

Williams had 11 points and six steals in the first half for the Storm, but the Sparks kept it close until the third quarter removed all doubt. The Storm took their first 20-point lead on Ogwumike’s three-point play with 5:37 still left in the third.

“I think we showed signs of fight and we have to build on that,” Stevens said. “We’ll regroup and we’ll watch film so we have really see what the positive were and build off of that.”

Ogwumike played the first 12 years of her illustrious career with the Sparks. Ogwumike, who left as free agent before the 2024 season, was the franchise’s No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft and a 2016 WNBA champion during her time with the team. The 14-year veteran, who is still playing at an All-Star level, is mentoring 6-foot-6 rookie center Dominque Malonga from France, who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft. Malonga scored seven points.

“Dom is great,” Ogwumike said. “It’s fun to be able to see someone start their career in the WNBA. It was that way for me. I was able to have people like Ebony (Hoffman) and Candace (Parker) and DeLisha (Milton-Jones) and Alana Beard guiding me so I just want to be able to provide myself as a resource but she is a brilliant young player and every day she gets better.”

Nneka Ogwumike’s pregame interview before scoring a season-high in points against her former Sparks team. pic.twitter.com/ZUYGw4omJ9

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 18, 2025

Seattle coach Noelle Quinn, a former UCLA star who played for the Sparks for several seasons during her 12-year WNBA career, said she understands what it feels like to play against your former team.

“I understand those emotions as player it is there but again I think our group has and will always be focused on the task at hand,” Quinn said. “Sometimes we’re not always executing the way we want to but at the end of the day our hearts and our minds are always in the correct space.”

Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn on rookie center Dominque Malonga’s development and Nneka Ogwumike’s return back to Los Angeles.

Coach Quinn is a LA native, who played at Bishop Montgomery High and UCLA.

The Sparks are hosting the Storm Tuesday night. pic.twitter.com/IBdlzfHYwx

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 18, 2025

The game was also a homecoming for Seattle guard Zia Cooke, who was drafted by the Sparks in the first round in 2023. Cooke was waived by the Sparks before this season but found a home as a reserve in Seattle.

“I circle every game,” said Cooke, who scored five points. “I’m not going to lie. I’m just trying to become a better me every single day and playing against the Sparks is not just going to make me a better me. This year in general, I’m just trying to get better.”

Zia Cooke’s pregame interview before playing against the LA Sparks. pic.twitter.com/dF2kGKw2lf

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 18, 2025

UP NEXT

The Sparks play at Minnesota again on Saturday at 5 p.m. PT to begin a three-game Midwestern trip. The Sparks took a 101-78 loss against the Lynx last weekend.