LAS VEGAS, NV – The issues facing the Los Angeles Sparks took an interesting turn on Monday night after a blowout loss to the first place Las Vegas Aces (7-1).
The Sparks (2-5) had a much better start to the game than they have had as of late. There were no rebounding issues, only one turnover, and they were playing it close and the score was tied early in the first quarter.
This was exactly how they wanted to start. However, when former Aces center Liz Cambage received her second foul in the first three minutes, she was taken out and the Aces capitalized going on a 23-3 run in the first quarter and never let up.
Brittney Sykes continues to be the most aggressive defender for the Sparks, but she could not stop the entire Aces squad by herself. Former 2020 MVP and three-time All-Star A’ja Wilson had 16 in the first half. Guards Chelsea Gray scored 11 points on her former squad and Jackie Young added 14.
The Sparks had no players in double digits at the end of the first half.
If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, then the second half likely made Sparks fans feel like they were losing their mind. With 5:24 left in the third quarter, the score was 74-42 with Vegas running L.A. out of the building. The Aces were on fire from three-point range sinking more shots than the Sparks attempted.
Head coach/GM Derek Fisher said there may be other issues outside of chemistry that are at play, and believes he has to do his part to make sure the team is better prepared, and does not let the game get away from them that quickly.
There are a lot of questions circling the Sparks after suffering their fifth straight loss. If they can’t get a win at home on Wednesday, May 25 against the Phoenix Mercury, it could be time to start making real changes in the starting lineup and the bench rotation.
