PHOENIX — The Sparks (6-6) are trying to cancel that previous three-game skid with a third straight win.
After wins against the Fire and the Storm, the Sparks are returning to Arizona to take on the Phoenix Mercury, a team that they have beaten earlier in the season.
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The story as of late for the Sparks has been Nneka Ogwumike. In the last two wins, she’s averaged 22 points and 13 boards. Ogwumike has been more aggressive ever since she had a talk with Kelsey Plum and other Sparks teammates before their game against the Fire.
“KP actually kind of lit a fire under me,” Ogwumike said during practice on Tuesday. “She said that she wanted me to be more aggressive. Erica (Wheeler) also told me that, too. I think I have a tendency to not try to overstep when I’m in a new system but I can’t allow that to keep me from going out there and doing what I can do.”
Plum corroborated the conversation.
“I think of all, everything, just really reinforcing,” Plum said about ‘lighting that fire’ after their win against the Storm. “We’re gonna go as far as me and you take us and I think that I just encourage her. Sometimes, I’m dynamic and people can play a little passive but I just encourage her, like, hey, listen, I need you to be hyper-aggressive when you get the ball whether that’s in the pocket or the post or in transition. I need you to think about yourself.”
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While Ogwumike had quite the game, the team overall didn’t shoot well against the Storm.
“We didn’t have a great shooting night but I’m proud of the fact that we still were able to hang in there, get stops when we needed to, get rebounds when we needed to, and that’s how we’re going to build on that. Sometimes, you’ve got to win ugly, and you can gain some confidence and momentum from that,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said.
They’re going to have to shoot it better against the Mercury. They had a 60-point first half that helped them to the win in their previous encounter. Dearica Hamby went for 27 points and 15 rebounds in that win in Phoenix on May 21st.
And believe it or not, the Sparks have been better defensively. Their last five games have them at a 103.7 defensive rating (which would be 7th in that period of time), which is much better than when they were the worst defensive rating in history.
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They did put it together the last two games on both sides and they’re going to have to keep it going against a Mercury team that, while they’re 4-10, are very capable. This is a team that went to the Finals last year, after all.
The Merc still have Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, and Kahleah Copper. Their starting point guard, Monique Akoa Makani, didn’t play in the previous match-up with the Sparks and she’ll be suited up on Saturday. Lexi Held was reacquired after being waived by the Tempo. Jovana Nogic is still a threat even though she’s slowed down a bit as of late. And Natasha Mack is one of the more improved players this season.
The Sparks continue to seek that balance on being a fiery team offensively and a steely squad on the defensive end. It’s done them well the last two games. Let’s see if they get it done for a third straight game. And if they do, it’ll be their first time being over .500 this far (13 games) into the season since 2020.
