LOS ANGELES — For an instant, the Sparks showed glimpses that they had learned from Sunday’s loss to the Connecticut Sun. They took an early lead, disregarded the Sun’s length and had their way in the paint. By the end of the night, however, they went listless and never rediscovered their footing.
Much of Tuesday’s 86-66 loss to the Sun mirrored Sunday’s final moments when the Sparks collapsed. They switched their coverage against Marina Mabrey, affording her space behind the arc rather than pressuring her, and she made them pay, going 6 for 8 from 3-point range (and 9 for 13 from the field) for a career-high 26 points. They let Brionna Jones get favorable position inside, rarely fronting her, and she scored 19 points (9-for-13 shooting) and grabbed eight rebounds as Alyssa Thomas (seven points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists) found her time and again.
The Sparks (7-29) dropped their third game to the Sun (26-10) this season and have lost five straight overall and 12 of their past 13. The hosts committed 15 turnovers, leading to 22 Connecticut points. The Sun, who moved within one game of second-place Minnesota in the WNBA standings, had 48 points in the paint and 26 points in transition.
Azura Stevens was one of the few bright spots for the Sparks, recording her third double-double (10 points, 17 rebounds) of the season. She grabbed nine of her rebounds in the first quarter as the Sparks imposed their will inside.
The Sparks’ first five field goals came in the paint, their aggression outweighing the Sun’s superior length. Where they hesitated on Sunday, they showed conviction in those opening moments, on Tuesday.
Rookie Rickea Jackson, who led the Sparks with 16 points, broke that streak of scoring in the paint when she banked home a 10-foot transition jump shot. On the next possession, though, Odyssey Sims got right back to it, finding space for an inside-hand scoop layup that gave the Sparks an 18-10 lead.
During a stretch that included the last three minutes of the first quarter and the first three minutes of the second, Connecticut put together a 15-0 run. The Sparks reverted to bad habits, committing four turnovers which led to seven points in transition.
The visitors continued to pile it on. Stevens fell asleep on the help side of a pick-and-roll, losing Alyssa Thomas. On the following play, Brionna Jones cut backdoor and Thomas found her for an easy lay-in. Thomas had 12 assists on Tuesday, finding Jones in favorable positions time and again. DiJonai Carrington picked Dearica Hamby’s pocket and her fast-break layup gave Connecticut its largest lead of the first half at 43-27.
Stevens scored five points early in the third quarter, hitting a corner 3-pointer that gave her 10 points and her double-double. The Sparks closed to within 53-43 before Marina Mabrey scored a pair of baskets and Carrington intercepted Crystal Dangerfield as Connecticut closed the third on an 11-2 run to extend its lead to 64-45.
With 8:34 remaining, the Sun extended their lead beyond 20 points. Jones scored off a pass from Mabrey then DeWanna Bonner hit a short jump shot. Mabrey capped her career night by hitting a trio of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, the last of which made it 82-54 with 4:51 left.
More to come on this story.
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