Ogwumike's historic week continues with another standout performance

LOS ANGELS —  "Yeah, it just means I'm old."

That was the joking response from Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike after passing Maya Moore to become the WNBA's all-time leading scorer in All-Star Game history during All-Star Weekend in Chicago.

Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts smiled when recalling Ogwumike's reaction.

"It's like, no, it means you're great," Roberts said.

Coming out of the WNBA All-Star break, the Sparks returned to Crypto.com Arena looking to snap a five-game losing streak against the New York Liberty. Although Los Angeles came up short in a 113-109 loss, the performance gave the team reason to believe it is moving in the right direction.

The Liberty were led by Breanna Stewart, who scored 29 points and dished out seven assists after making her eighth career All-Star appearance.

Despite facing one of the WNBA's top teams, the Sparks came out with energy and confidence. Entering the game, New York sat four spots ahead of Los Angeles in the standings, but the Sparks matched the Liberty's intensity throughout a game that featured 12 lead changes and six ties.

Before the game, Roberts said the All-Star break gave both the coaching staff and players an opportunity to reset after a difficult stretch.

Twenty-six-year-old guard Rae Burrell led the way for Los Angeles, scoring a team-high 24 points in 34 minutes while adding four steals in one of her best all-around performances of the season.

After the game, Burrell said the break came at the perfect time for the team.

"Everybody needed a break, a reset," Burrell said. "And I think the team was able to go and do that. We had a conversation before we went on break that that was the goal, to reset and then come back ready to be the team that we want to be.

"I feel like we were able to do that. We didn't get the result that we wanted, but we still showed improvement like coach said. Sometimes you literally just need a reset, whatever that looks like to you. I think everybody did that for themselves, and I think it made a difference coming back."

While the effort was encouraging, the Sparks made it clear afterward that they were not satisfied with simply competing.

"We don't have to hang our heads. We don't have to feel too defeated," veteran guard Erica Wheeler said. "But make no mistake, we're not OK with it. Nobody's OK with it in that locker room losing."

Ogwumike once again demonstrated why she remains one of the league's premier players. The former WNBA MVP and 2016 WNBA champion with the Sparks finished with 21 points and nine rebounds after returning from her 11th career All-Star appearance.

During All-Star Weekend, Ogwumike made history by passing Maya Moore to become the WNBA's all-time leading scorer in All-Star Game history.

Asked how she transitions from a weekend of celebrating the league's biggest stars back into facing one of the WNBA's toughest opponents, Ogwumike said it isn't difficult anymore. After more than a decade in the league, returning to competition feels like muscle memory.

The Sparks had one final opportunity in the closing seconds. Ogwumike knocked down a three-pointer with 15.7 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to 112-109 and give Los Angeles a chance, but the Liberty held on to secure the victory.

Despite the loss, Roberts was encouraged by what she saw from her team after the break.

"Yesterday we had a great practice," Roberts said. "The mood was really good, and same thing at shootaround."