Kelsey Plum Held To Season-low Nine Points In Sparks' Loss To Valkyries

SAN FRANCISCO — Before nan Sparks’ blowout nonaccomplishment astatine Golden State connected Monday, coach Lynne Roberts said her squad remained a “work successful progress” contempt 3 consecutive wins.

In their 78-58 defeat, nan Sparks’ worst weaknesses were exposed: continued struggles connected defense and a punchless violative strategy pinch Kelsey Plum struggling to score. Their 58 points were nan fewest they person scored each play and they changeable a second-worst 33.3% from nan floor.

The Sparks (7-7) were coming disconnected victories against Portland and astatine Seattle and Phoenix but had nary answers for nan Valkyries’ smothering defense.

Golden State’s Kaila Charles and Gabby Williams kept Plum mostly successful check, holding her to a season-low 9 points aft her career-high 43-point crippled successful Phoenix connected Saturday. Plum fouled retired midway done nan 4th fourth aft being held to 4 points successful nan 3rd quarter.

It was only nan 2nd clip Plum fouled retired of a WNBA game, and her first pinch nan Sparks.

Plum changeable 3 for nine, her fewest attempts successful a crippled this season. The only different clip she was held to single-digit points pinch nan Sparks was successful different roadworthy crippled astatine Golden State past season.

To make matters worse, Cameron Brink, who led nan Sparks pinch 10 points, appeared to rotation her near ankle successful nan waning minutes of nan crippled and needed to beryllium helped to nan chair and past nan locker room.

The Valkyries (9-5) ended nan first 4th connected a 17-4 tally to lead 25-10. The Sparks went nan last 3:45 without scoring. They made conscionable 3 first-quarter baskets.

The Sparks trim nan shortage to 9 midway done nan 2nd 4th aft a 16-6 run, powered by 8 points from Brink disconnected nan bench.

But nan Sparks’ defense couldn’t support up pinch a Valkyries squad that changeable 51.5% successful nan half. The Sparks trailed 45-26 astatine halftime aft 2 Plum shots were blocked. Golden State scored nan adjacent 12 points and led by arsenic overmuch arsenic 24.

Brink’s third-quarter introduction gave nan Sparks immoderate life again arsenic they narrowed it to a 13-point game.

The Sparks changeable 3 for 21 from three-point scope for their second-worst nighttime from down nan arc this season. They committed 14 turnovers that turned into 20 Golden State points.

Along pinch Plum’s foul trouble, starting constituent defender Erica Wheeler vanished pinch 5 fouls. In her return to Golden State, Sparks improvement subordinate Kate Martin was nan lone subordinate pinch a affirmative plus/minus astatine plus-five successful nan ninth of her 12 allotted games.

The Sparks really held nan Valkyries to their 3rd fewest points successful a crippled this season, but they simply fell successful excessively large of a spread early to recover.

The Sparks return location to look nan first-place Minnesota Lynx (11-3) connected Wednesday.