Sparks Fall to Valkyries as slow start proves too much to overcome

The Sparks couldn't find their footing on the road Monday night, falling 78-58 to the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center. Los Angeles came in looking to extend its own winning streak to four games and build on the best start to a season after 13 games since 2020, but a sluggish opening quarter put the team in a hole they could never dig out of. 

First Quarter

It was a quiet start for this Sparks offense, going scoreless for the first four minutes before Kelsey Plum, who led the league in scoring at 26.6 points per game going into Monday’s games, knocked down a three to get the team on the board. That shot was a reminder of what Plum can do from anywhere on the floor, but it wasn't enough to spark the group. The Valkyries, by contrast, were patient and deliberate, picking their spots and shooting better than 60% from the field. The lone highlight of the quarter for LA was Nneka Ogwumike reaching 7,500 career points.

Second Quarter

Cameron Brink set the tone for Los Angeles early, with a big block followed by back-to-back layups that accounted for almost all of her team's points to open the period. The Sparks bench tried to answer, with Rae Burrell making some athletic, high-energy plays, but turnovers kept getting in the way. LA finished the half with 8 turnovers, which the Valkyries turned into 12 points, while Golden State committed just 4. The Sparks also shot a cold 1-for-8 from three. With the offense unable to find any consistency, Golden State took a 45-26 lead.

Third Quarter

The physicality picked up to open the second half, but turnovers remained the story for LA. Nneka Ogwumike drained a big three, trying to get the offense moving, and the Sparks' frustration with foul calls seemed to fuel some fight, but Golden State's offense kept rolling, pushing the lead to nearly 20 for much of the quarter. Still, the Sparks showed some resilience, and Kate Martin's three-pointer ignited an 8-0 run late in the period. It wasn't enough to change the trajectory, though, as Golden State led 61-47 heading to the fourth.

Fourth Quarter

LA needed Plum to take over down the stretch, but Gabby Williams kept getting to the rim seemingly at will, finishing as Golden State's leading scorer with 16 points. Burrell stayed aggressive on the other end, coming up with her third block of the night, but foul trouble caught up with the Sparks in the middle of the quarter as both Plum and Wheeler picked up their fifth fouls. Plum ultimately fouled out, her first disqualification since June 9, 2025 (which was also against Golden State), and the turnovers that plagued LA all night continued to pile up. Golden State closed it out, 78-58. Plum finished with 9 points and 1 assist, while Burrell scored 13 points.

Postgame

Coach Lynne Roberts didn't sugarcoat the performance afterward. "I think they played harder than we did," she said. "Defense is a choice, and, you know, we came out casual in the first quarter. We were down 15, and we were playing catch-up the whole time. To me, that's the story of the game." 

Dearica Hamby took a more even-keeled approach, looking ahead. "Go to rest, and get back at it tomorrow. We got Minnesota in two days," she said. "There are things you can learn from every game. For sure."

Cameron Brink also went down with an apparent ankle injury after scoring 10 points and two rebounds. 

The Sparks will look to bounce back quickly when they host Minnesota at home on Wednesday, June 17th.