LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Sparks entered Sunday night’s game with a sense of hope and momentum. Fresh off a solid road win over the Valkyries, they returned to Crypto.com Arena eyeing their first 2-0 start since 2022. But standing in their way was a familiar powerhouse: the Minnesota Lynx, last season’s WNBA Finals runner-up—and they came ready to make a statement.
Ultimately, it was a tough lesson in the difference between playoff pedigree and a team still finding its footing. The Lynx overpowered the Sparks 89-75, seizing control in the second half and never letting go.
To their credit, the Sparks showed flashes of potential early on. Azurá Stevens came out firing, knocking down her first five shots and scoring 14 points in the opening quarter. Despite her early heroics, Los Angeles still trailed by five after one. Kelsey Plum sparked the offense in the second quarter with eight points, and Dearica Hamby added 11 to help close the gap. Heading into halftime, the Sparks trailed by just one point, trailing 45-44.
But the second half told a different story.
Minnesota came out of the locker room with defensive intensity and veteran poise. The Lynx opened the third quarter with a 9-0 run and never looked back. The Sparks, by contrast, looked rattled and out of sync. Open shots didn’t fall, rhythm disappeared, and the physicality of the Lynx began to wear them down.
“They ratcheted up their pressure, and we kind of all took a step back,” Stevens said postgame. “We’ve got to find a way to fight through that when teams apply pressure.”
Los Angeles shot just 9-of-26 from beyond the arc and failed to generate meaningful points in the paint. In the second half, they managed only 30 points total—unable to match the Lynx’s tempo and toughness.
While the Sparks created some quality looks, head coach Lynne Roberts acknowledged that shot making wasn’t the only issue.
“Minnesota amped up their pressure, and we got disjointed,” Roberts said. “We missed a lot of good shots too, but it wasn’t just about missing. We lost our offensive chemistry when they got physical. That’s something we have to grow from.”
Napheesa Collier led the Lynx with 23 points and was a force all night. Her aggressive play highlighted the gap between Minnesota’s championship mindset and the Sparks’ developing identity. When the game turned physical, the Lynx leaned in—while the Sparks appeared to shrink.
“There’s no shame in losing to an elite team like Minnesota,” Roberts added. “But we have to be mentally tougher. In this league, the margin for error is tiny. You can’t let one bad possession bleed into the next. That’s where we need to grow.”
With a young core and a developing system, the Sparks remain a work in progress. But games like this provide a roadmap for where they need to go. If they want to compete with the league’s best, they’ll have to embrace pressure, elevate their physical play, and adopt a next-play mentality.
Fortunately, redemption is never far in the WNBA. The Sparks will have a chance to respond quickly when they face the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday. A bounce-back win—with better shot-making and a dose of toughness—could be just what they need to get back on track.