WNBA: To make the playoffs, the Sparks need more Cameron Brink

Will the Los Angeles Sparks make the 2025 WNBA Playoffs?

That question might be answered by the end of this long Labor Day Weekend. The Sparks face a pivotal back-to-back, hosting the Washington Mystics on Sunday (8 p.m. ET, League Pass) before visiting the Seattle Storm on Monday (10 p.m. ET, NBA TV).

LA remains ensconced in the No. 9 seed with a 17-20 mark that has them 2.5 games back of the eighth and final playoff spot. After bursting out of the All-Star break with six wins in seven games, the Sparks have slid to a 3-5 record in their last eight games, which includes their current two-game skid. Los Angeles’ latest loss was particularly painful, when, after leading by as many as 10 points, they lost to the Indiana Fever on a game-winner by former Spark Odyssey Sims. Indiana, currently the No. 6 seed at 21-18, then sealed the win an Aliyah Boston steal, which also was LA’s 22nd turnover of the night.

But with a league-high seven games left, opportunities remain for LA to rediscover their playoff Spark, beginning on Sunday against the Mystics, who were officially eliminated from playoff contention with an uncompetitive loss against California’s other playoff hopeful, the Golden State Valkyries, on Saturday. It was Washington’s sixth-straight loss.

The Mystics’ current form, on top of the fact that they’ll be on the second night of a West Coast back-to-back, might make them easy for the Sparks to overlook, but surely, after losing in DC in mid-August, LA will take the court with the intensity and attention to detail requisite of a playoff team. As has been the case for the Sparks throughout the season, that starts on the defensive in end. In that loss to the Mystics, the Sparks permitted the offensively-challenged squad to score 95 points, the most they’ve posted since the departure of their former top offensive option (and another former Spark), Brittney Sykes. LA had no answer for DC’s rookie duo, as Sonia Citron got loose for five 3-pointers on her way to a 24 points, while Kiki Iriafen captained Washington’s domination of the glass, securing an 18-point and 10-rebound double-double.

To strengthen LA’s defense, it will be interesting to see if Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts begins to show more trust in Cameron Brink, who, despite her limited time on a WNBA court, has established herself as elite on that end of the floor. Possibly, Brink’s continued return from the ACL injury that cut short both her rookie and sophomore seasons explains her lack of playing time, in addition to her penchant for piling up fouls. Her offensive game also is a work in progress. Yet, scoring hasn’t been much of an issue for the Sparks, as they’re second only to the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in points per game. Brink cannot solely solve LA’s defensive woes, but she can be a difference maker, especially against her former Stanford teammate in Iriafen (even if she might congratulate Kiki for a good play in the middle of the game).

Furthermore, Brink will be a factor in the future success of the Sparks, whether that future is the 2025 playoffs or beyond, making more valuable the experience she will gain by being on the court at crucial moments.

A playoff positioning battle in the Bay

The Fever, fresh off their last-minute comeback victory in LA, are now in the Bay, meeting the Valkyries (8:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV).

The matchup involves direct standings drama. If the Valks can earn the victory, they’ll vault the Fever in the standings, while also securing the three-game season series sweep of the visitors. With a loss, Golden State would still have the season series advantage at 2-1, although they would drop to 1.5 games behind Indiana, remaining in the No. 8 seed.

Both teams are beset with long injury reports. But as they’ve demonstrated throughout the season, adversity is not an obstacle, but an opportunity.

For Indiana, the aforementioned Sims, on her third seven-day hardship contract, has seized such an opportunity, turning in back-to-back games of at least 20 points as the Fever have won two-straight contests. Aerial Powers, on her second seven-day contract, has provided Indy with her characteristic jolt of energetic play, determined to earn every rebound when she is on the court.

Golden State continues to win by committee, with five players scoring in double figures in their Saturday win over Washington. Those scorers included Carla Leite, who, after speaking to our Łukasz Muniowski, scored 19 points in 19 off the bench minutes as she returned from an ankle injury. A perfect 5-for-5 from the floor, Leite was 8-for-9 from the free throw line, while also tossing a game-high six assists. Kaila Charles, now signed for the rest of the season after joining the Valkyries as a hardship signing at the beginning of August, logged her second-straight game of 16 points, looking like another uncovered gem for Golden State.

Washington Mystics (16-24) vs. Los Angeles Sparks (17-20)

Indiana Fever (21-18) vs. Golden State Valkyries (20-18)