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Sparks basketball is back.
Although Los Angeles lost to Golden State, which cost them the season series against the Valkyries, they’ve done more good than bad over the past seven days. A win against the Sun and another tough victory over the Storm have the Sparks flirting with a .500 record and just a half game out of a playoff spot.
Making the postseason has been a clear goal that head coach Lynne Roberts established at the start of the season, and that continues to be their focus with 13 games left.
So, let’s grade this week’s performances. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
34.9 minutes, 16.8 points, 3 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 0.3 steals, 20-44 FG, 9-23 3PT, 18-22 FT, +2
Plum is one of the most reliable, dependable players on this roster. This past week was no exception. She was able to play a bit less overall, which is excellent since she logs so many minutes. Plum was efficient with her shots and converted on 39% of her 3-pointers.
27.4 minutes, 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.5 blocks, 29-44 FG, 1-4 3PT, 12-13 FT, +12
This was a great week for Hamby. She was incredible from the free throw line, missing just one attempt and had back-to-back clutch baskets against Seattle’s Dominique Malonga to win the game on Sunday.
From the moment Hamby joined the Sparks, she has exceeded expectations. Even now, as the team has a new nucleus and is winning, it all starts and ends with Hamby. She is the franchise’s centerpiece and a big reason for this turnaround.
31.8 minutes, 15.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.5 steals, 22-52 FG, 10-20 3PT, 8-8 FT, +5
Jackson has been so good for the Sparks. This week, she shot a shocking 50% from 3-point range and did so while taking 20 shots from beyond the arc.
That’s not her new standard, but the fact that she was able to do this is a great sign that she’s developing that outside jumper.
Once she can convert on that shot consistently, she will be unstoppable and a WNBA All-Star.
31.5 minutes, 7.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 13-27 FG, 4-16 3PT, 0-2 FT, 0
Allemand is a magician with the ball in her hand.
She controls the Sparks offense with ease, running actions, making the right reads and skip passes. If you’d create a guard from scratch, you’d want them to play like Allemand.
She is entirely selfless, and her only concern is finding an open look for the team. This week, she earned her first triple-double, and it was an opportunity for the entire team to celebrate her contributions to the team’s recent success. Allemand followed up that performance later in the week with a game-sealing steal against the Storm.
24.8 minutes, 12 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.5 steals, 1.3 blocks, 17-29 FG, 10-18 3PT, 4-5 FT, -3
Stevens had a productive week. She shot well from the field and took care of her defensive assignments. The biggest blemish is probably her rebounding. She just needs to attack the glass a bit more.
This was evident during the first half against Connecticut when Los Angeles was getting dominated on the boards. Other than that, Stevens was very good.
21.1 minutes, 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1 assist, 0.5 steals, 11-24 FG, 4-10 3PT, 8-9 FT, +27
Burrell is playing the best basketball of her career. She has helped end L.A.’s woeful bench production and is now consistently scoring as a reserve.
Her energy is contagious and has given the team a much-needed boost when she comes in. Burrell had the best plus-minus numbers on the team this week by far, with the Sparks being a +27 when she was on the floor.
14.9 minutes, 7.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.5 steals, 2.3 blocks, 10-21 FG, 5-10 3PT, 5-5 FT, -13
I understand Brink is on a minutes restriction and recovering from an ACL injury, but can we give her more playing time? She has been sensational. Brink’s 3-point shot is developing very well, and her rim protection is unreal. She averaged 2.3 blocks this week, and fans should expect her to do that more often than not. At this point, the more Brink we can see, the better.
10.5 minutes, 3 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1.3 steals, 4-11 FG, 3-10 3PT, 1-2 FT, +7
Vanloo is a solid backup guard who can come in, give the starters some relief and hit some jumpers. If she does that and keeps her turnovers down, she’ll continue to earn minutes.
Sarah Ashlee Barker, Alissa Pili, Sania Feagin
This trio only played during garbage time, so they will not be graded.
Roberts has pushed the right buttons, challenged the correct calls and has done a great job with her rotations and playcalling.
The Sparks were in a tight game against the Storm, and she made the tough decision to take out Brink, who was playing well and finish with her starters. It worked, and L.A. is now knocking at the door of a playoff berth for the first time in years.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
