LOS ANGELES — The Sparks entered their final home game of the regular season against the Washington Mystics back in control of their own playoff destiny, after a Chicago Sky loss to the New York Liberty on Sunday afternoon.
However, a last-minute scratch of Nneka Ogwumike (19.1 points per game) from the team’s lineup due to a knee injury, changed the team’s starting lineup against Washington. Dearica Hamby was inserted into the team’s starting five, which meant the Sparks would play with four guards (Zia Cooke, Rae Burrell, Jasmine Thomas, and Evina Westbrook) as the only available reserves off the bench.
“(Nneka’s) been banged up,” shared Sparks coach Curt Miller postgame. “She’s played through some discomfort recently and we felt it was prudent that she needed some more rest (Sunday night). We will see how she goes over the next couple of days and see how she is on this road trip.”
Even without Ogwumike, the Sparks (16-21) would not be deterred, pulling off a 72-64 win at Galen Center against Washington (17-20), who would have clinched a playoff appearance with a win.
“What I feel like is I want to keep getting better on offensively and keep guarding,” said Miller. “I can’t wait to compete against Connecticut and New York, two of the best defensive teams in the league and Seattle, I don’t care what their record is, they have elite defense and things that in some ways give us trouble.”
With the win, the Sparks reclaimed sole possession of the league’s eighth and final playoff spot with three games left in the regular season. They also earned a possible playoff tiebreaker against Washington, by winning the season series 2-1.
Sparks guard Layshia Clarendon led the Sparks with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Hamby had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Canada added 14 points.
“I would not say it felt like playoffs but it’s one we know we needed,” said Hamby. “Each game is going to be very important so we need to go on the road and pull off a couple of wins.”
The Sparks will play at Connecticut Sun (Tuesday), at New York Liberty (Thursday), and at Seattle Storm (Sunday), to conclude their 40-game regular season.
“Just take one moment at a time,” said Sparks guard Layshia Clarendon. “You can’t look too far ahead… I think there is a level of physicality that is allowed in the game this late in the season and in the playoffs.”
The Sparks led 38-34 at halftime. Clarendon, who returned after missing two games (Tuesday and Thursday) due to testing positive for COVID, had eight points in the first half.
The Sparks began the second half on a 4-0 run, extending their lead to 42-34 on a layup by forward Dearica Hamby with 7:54 left in the third. Washington did not score their first two points of the second half until the 5:52 mark, when Tianna Hawkins’ layup cut the Sparks lead to 42-36.
Washington cut the Sparks’ lead to one, 51-50, on a three-pointer by guard Li Meng with 1:14 left in the third. Li had 11 points off the bench in the first three quarters. Two-time MVP Elena Delle Donne’s baseline jumper gave Washington their first lead of the second half, 52-51 with three seconds remaining in the third.
Jordin Canada’s layup gave the Sparks a 57-56 lead with 6:17 left in the fourth. Washington’s Queen Egbo’s layup gave her team a 58-57 advantage with 6:02 to go. An and-one by Sparks forward Karlie Samuelson, gave the Sparks a 60-58 lead with 5:09 remaining. Another and-one by Clarendon put the Sparks up 63-58 with 4:40 to go. Hamby made one of two free throws, extending the Sparks’ lead to 64-58. Clarendon was fouled by Li, and made both free throws, pushing the Sparks lead to 66-60 with 1:37 to go. Canada’s layup over Delle Donne gave the Sparks a 68-62 lead with 1:07 to go. Clarendon missed what would have been a game-clinching layup with 39 seconds to go. Canada nailed two free throws with 24.2 seconds to go, giving the Sparks an insurmountable 70-64 advantage.
Before the game, Miller knew scoring points would be a challenge for his team. The Sparks won despite shooting 39.7% (23 of 58) from the field and 25% (5 of 20) from 3. However, with playoffs looming, Miller’s players are focused on doing whatever it took to win.
“It’s obviously really important but we approach every game the same, we want to win,” said Sparks forward Azurá Stevens. “We know what’s at stake, making playoffs not making it but it’s more about focusing on what we can control, which is literally each possession.”
“I just try to go out there and play,” added Sparks rookie guard Zia Cooke, who played six minutes before suffering an apparent wrist injury in the second quarter but returned to action in the fourth. “I do know that it’s important for us to win, so that’s my mindset every time we step on the court.”
The game marked former Sparks guards Brittney Sykes and Kristi Toliver’s first games back in Los Angeles after signing with Washington as free agents during the offseason. Sykes finished with a team-high 14 points. However, Toliver played less than two minutes, crumbling to the floor with what appeared to be a major knee injury at the end of the first quarter.
