Sparks unable to beat Mercury at home

Every game matters this late into the season, and the Sparks had a chance to gain some ground in their playoff chase on Tuesday.

However, they couldn’t earn the win at home against the Mercury, losing 92-84.

Alyssa Thomas was as dominant as ever in the win. She recorded a record-setting seventh triple-double this year, ending the game with 12 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists.

While Thomas was a key contributor for the Mercury, she didn’t do it alone. Kahleah Copper scored 18 points, and Sami Whitcomb was huge off the bench, scoring 17 points and going 5-7 from deep.

The Sparks got a good game from Dearica Hamby. She scored 25 points and shot 9-12 from the field. Rickea Jackson also played well. Jackson ended the game with 21 points. She also had an ankle injury scare, but head coach Lynne Roberts said postgame she should be fine for Friday’s game against the Fever.

Los Angeles will need everyone to be healthy and ready to go for the game against Indiana. With this loss, they are now a game and a half back of a playoff spot with eight games to go.

The Mercury gained control quickly in this game, jumping out to an 11-4 start. The Sparks couldn’t get their usually high-scoring offense going.

Only Hamby and Jackson were finding success during the opening quarter. The duo scored 16 of L.A.‘s 18 first-quarter points. Kelsey Plum was the only other spark to score during the opening period.

After one quarter of play, Phoenix was in control and in front 24-18.

Los Angeles responded by going on a 7-0 run to start the second quarter. The Sparks’ burst of momentum occurred thanks to forced turnovers being converted into layups.

After Hamby scored over DeWanna Bonner, she yelled emphatically and shook her head, riling herself and the L.A. crowd as the Sparks regained the advantage.

The Mercury were able to quickly get back in front thanks to Copper’s play on the perimeter. She was able to get whatever looks she wanted and took advantage of this, scoring 10 points in the first half.

After two quarters of play, Phoenix was in front 48-40.

To start the third, it was more production by Jackson that kept the Sparks in this game. She hit a critical 3-pointer over DeWanna Bonner and celebrated with a “in your face” celebration and dapping up her coach, Lynne Roberts. The shot brought the Sparks back within four points.

As the Mercury have done all game long, when the Sparks made a run, they responded. Satou Sabally and Kathryn Westbeld converted on a pair of 3-pointers, and after a Copper layup, the Mercury were back up by double figures.

Both teams exchanged baskets for the remainder of the period, and Phoenix was ahead 70-57 after three quarters of play.

The Sparks needed a couple of scoring runs to close the gap the Mercury created, but they were never able to do so. Phoenix stayed above 10 points essentially the rest of the way, cruising to a win.

The Sparks might be an offensive team, but their scoring struggled, and they couldn’t stop the Mercury from killing them from beyond the arc.

That combination, along with players like Azurá Stevens, currently in a slump, is making the task of making the playoffs even harder for Los Angeles.

They’ll need to be sharper the rest of the way if they want to end their four-year postseason drought.