The Los Angeles Sparks are playing their best basketball of the season after defeating the Atlanta Dream, 85-74 last Saturday night. The win over the Dream gave the team its third straight victory. This is the first time this year the team has won three straight games.
“Third win a row but it’s been the third fourth quarter that we’ve had a very productive final quarter,” said Sparks coach Curt Miller after their win last Saturday. “That helped us pull away in our most complete game and biggest win of the season.”
The Sparks have won their past three games by seven or more points and are starting to show that maybe this team has truly improved compared to last year. Sparks point guard Jordin Canada who led the team with 20 points, eight assists and four steals against Atlanta believes this team is a better squad so far this season.
"It's all about the process and giving ourselves grace in that we are way better than we were last year," said Canada. “But also understanding that we still have some growth and improvement that we need to have. But overall, as a team, as a unit, we're still building our chemistry.”
The team has battled injuries and illness throughout the season, but the team’s toughness and grit has them battling for a potential WNBA playoff berth. “It’s an identity I would want to have, that grit, that aggressiveness, and that toughness,” said guard Layshia Clarendon who added 16 points and five assists in the win. “It’s the thing that helps you grind out wins like you saw us do against Indiana and Atlanta.”
The Sparks now get a week off until their next game, a matchup against the top-seeded and defending champions, Las Vegas Aces, Saturday at 12 p.m. If the team wants to pull off the biggest upset of the year in the WNBA they will need even more toughness, determination and grit to make it happen. The Sparks’ next home game will be against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday, August 23 at 7 p.m. That game will be played at the Galen Center on the corner of Jefferson and Figueroa.
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