The extra issues change, the extra they continue to be the identical. The Los Angeles Sparks have returned to WNBA motion, and whereas they’ve Dearica Hamby again with a bronze medal from her 3×3 play, Stephanie Talbot bringing a bronze medal from her 5×5 efficiency with Australia and Sparks head coach Curt Miller serving to Group USA earn a 5×5 gold medal, that glory has not transferred to the W.
As an alternative, Los Angeles has three-straight losses since coming back from the break and is now 6-21, tied for the worst document within the league. Right here is the great, dangerous and ugly occurring with the Sparks:
The Good
The losses are stacking, however so are Rickea Jackson’s stellar performances. Over the previous three video games, Jackson has averaged a team-high 13.6 factors and three.3 rebounds. As a part of a rookie class that features generational skills like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, Jackson is making the argument that she belongs within the dialogue as top-of-the-line new gamers within the league.
She has exceeded even essentially the most optimistic projections of what she can be in Los Angeles, and if Jackson can sustain this stage of play, she is perhaps the most effective participant on this group proper now.
The Dangerous
With a 40-game season unfold throughout 5 months, accidents to key gamers kill a group’s potential greater than anything. And whereas nobody needs to listen to about accidents, it’s exhausting to not give attention to them when a group is lacking 4 rotation gamers. Whereas Cameron Brink is out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL, not having Aari McDonald (proper foot harm), Lexie Brown (Crohn’s illness) or Layshia Clarendon (psychological well being causes) means the Sparks have been compelled to signal gamers on hardship contracts to place an honest group on the ground.
Los Angeles has began Crystal Dangerfield the final two video games and she or he’s performed effectively, combating for a everlasting residence within the WNBA. The Sparks additionally introduced in Odyssey Sims on a 7-day contract and she or he’s tried to contribute over the past couple of video games, regardless of not figuring out the offense and taking part in instantly after touchdown in Southern California.
“Our two level guards, on the highest stage, do not know the performs” Curt Miller talking on his guards Crystal Dangerfield and Odyssey Sims being on seven-day contracts
— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) August 17, 2024
The harm state of affairs is dangerous in LA. Hopefully, it is going to enhance so the group might be nearer to what they imagined they’d be once they constructed this group at first of the 12 months.
The Ugly
The offense has been robust to look at for lengthy stretches all season lengthy. The New York Liberty embarrassed the Sparks, beating them by 35 factors with LA solely producing 68 factors at residence. The next recreation towards the Chicago Sky was higher, however the offense nonetheless was not nice. They started the sport with a 24-second shot clock violation and allowed Chicago to go on a 7-0 run to begin the fourth quarter. This decimated their lead and in the end value them the sport. In that closing quarter, the Sparks solely scored 12 factors. It was an identical story towards the Las Vegas Aces because it was towards the Liberty. The Sparks scored solely 71 factors and misplaced by double figures.
On the season, the Sparks’ offensive score is 86.8, the second-lowest within the WNBA. The franchise is also scoring the second-fewest factors per recreation, averaging 78.5 factors in every contest. Offense is not the top all be all, however if you cannot rating, you may’t win. This group hasn’t been in a position to get manufacturing, notably from its guards, all 12 months.
That is a little bit of a personnel problem, however a few of it additionally falls on the teaching and administration. You’ll be able to’t have a number of stretches in every recreation the place the group fails to attain a subject purpose and anticipate to have a profitable group. Followers ought to control how the offense develops and improves the remainder of the best way as a result of I imagine they nonetheless have sufficient high quality on the ground to not be among the many league’s worst on this class.
The uncomfortable fact is {that a} mixture of accidents, youth and a expertise hole means the Sparks will proceed to lose greater than they will win for the remainder of 2024. Due to the trio of Hamby, Brink and Jackson, the franchise has an optimistic future. For now, they need to climate this storm till the season ends, at which level they will deal with a few of these points. Whereas there’s nonetheless a mathematical risk the Sparks could make the postseason, that can disappear in the event that they proceed to lose, and it will be “tank for Paige Bueckers” time. Nonetheless, I do not understand how a lot totally different that will look in comparison with what we’re seeing in Los Angeles now.
