Furious Sparks Comeback Fades In Final Minute Of Loss To Golden State

Coming disconnected their champion triumph of nan play successful Minnesota connected Thursday, nan Sparks didn’t person overmuch of that aforesaid power to commencement their first location crippled since nan waste and acquisition deadline.

The 4th quarter, though, looked a batch for illustration nan champion hoops they’ve played each season.

The Sparks came retired level and gave up 29 first-quarter points from nan Golden State Valkyries successful an 84-78 loss Sunday, their eighth successful nan past 10 games. They made it a crippled successful nan 4th pinch a 16-5 tally but were excessively acold backmost and it took conscionable a mates of Valkyries shots to put nan crippled retired of reach.

An Ariel Atkins three-pointer pinch 2:18 near sewage nan Sparks wrong 1 point, past aft it was matched by Golden State, a 3 from Erica Wheeler made it a one-point title again pinch 1:38 to go.

Nneka Ogwumike missed what would person been a tying changeable pinch 52 seconds near earlier nan Valkyries made it a two-possession people to adjacent it out.

Wheeler missed 2 three-point attempts pinch little than 30 seconds left. She vanished pinch 15 points while Ogwumike vanished pinch a team-high 16 points.

There are 13 games near successful nan play and nan Sparks are six games backmost of Dallas for nan eighth and last WNBA playoff seed, giving them an uphill climb to get backmost successful nan postseason conversation.

On Sunday, nan Sparks (12-19) committed 5 early turnovers and struggled to take sides nan perimeter against nan shot-happy Valkyries, trailing 29-15 aft 1 quarter.

After getting backmost wrong nine, nan Sparks were down 45-32 astatine halftime pursuing 3 consecutive buckets from Golden State defender Tiffany Hayes.

Sparks guardant Nneka Ogwumike, right, reacts aft being fouled by Golden State halfway Kiah Stokes successful nan first half Sunday.

(Harry How / Getty Images)

Cameron Brink deed a three-pointer to get backmost wrong 12 pinch 7:27 near successful nan fourth. The Sparks outscored Golden State 31-20 wide successful nan 4th to get backmost wrong 4 pinch little than 4 minutes to play.

Brink, who had 7 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals, sewage into foul problem successful nan 3rd quarter, going into nan 4th pinch four. Rae Burrell, who had scored successful double figures successful each crippled since July 22, didn’t people until nan 4th fourth and vanished pinch 9 points.

The Valkyries capitalized pinch 18 points disconnected nan Sparks’ 11 turnovers.

Kiana Williams scored 10 points, her astir since she joined nan squad from Phoenix successful June disconnected of a developmental deal.

The Sparks person not beaten Golden State (23-9) since a 84-67 triumph connected May 16, 2025, nan first crippled successful Valkyries franchise history.

On Sunday, nan Valkyries were led by 15 points from Cecilia Zandalasini, who changeable 5 for 5 from three-point range.

After she scored 7 points against Minnesota, recently acquired defender Monique Akoa Makani missed Sunday’s crippled pinch a correct ankle wounded she sustained successful nan last infinitesimal against nan Lynx.

The Sparks will big Phoenix (12-22) successful Kelsey Plum’s return to L.A. connected Tuesday astatine USC’s Galen Center.