LAS VEGAS, NV – The Las Vegas Aces (20-8) have now won six of their last seven games after defeating the LA Sparks 84-66 on Saturday. Another frustrating loss in a long line of disappointments for the Sparks who had control and an opportunity to get a big win but fell flat in the second half of the game.
During the first half, the Sparks (12-15) understood the assignment and did exactly what interim coach Fred Williams wanted them to do: contain A’ja Wilson and avoid costly turnovers. A’ja Wilson only had 10 points at the end of the first half. It was all going to come down to halftime adjustments. In the end, the team with the top three scorers in the league in Kelsey Plum (20.1), Wilson (19.4) and Jackie Young (16.3) pulled out the win.
The box score won’t tell you that this is a game the Sparks should have won. Watching Chennedy Carter come off the bench, trash talking, and floating down the court to 15 points was a thing of beauty. Combine that with rookie Olivia Nelson-Ododa’s blocked shot and seven points, and the Sparks won the battle of the bench 22-8.
The box score also won’t tell you that Nneka Ogwumike, even with just 10 points, is the most valuable player for the Sparks. She fights every second she is on the floor and makes everyone around her better. However, she still needs support especially from the starting lineup. In the Sparks’ last 15 games, the team went 7-8. All eight losses were games where Ogwumike scored less than 20 points.
It’s a heavy load to carry on a team that has shooters and an All-Star center in Liz Cambage. The Sparks still have a solid shot at a playoff spot, a chance they would not have without Ogwumike. Although a first-round exit is imminent, that might be the catalyst that fast tracks the team’s chemistry and makes the Sparks real contenders next season. Perhaps then Ogwumike will have her name rightfully circulating in MVP talks.
