Kelsey Plum's Return From Injury Can't Reverse Sparks' Slide In Loss To Wings

While Kelsey Plum was retired pinch an ankle wounded for nan past week, Sparks coach Lynne Roberts called her nan “head of nan snake” of nan team’s offense.

Plum, who entered nan nighttime starring nan WNBA successful scoring, netted 27 points but couldn’t prevention nan Sparks from a fourth-quarter illness and a 104-96 nonaccomplishment to nan Dallas Wings astatine Crypto.com Arena connected Friday night.

The Sparks’ discourtesy looked better, but it had nary answers for nan three-headed onslaught of Arike Ogunbowale, Paige Bueckers and Jessica Shepherd, who spearheaded nan Wings’ 63% shooting effort successful nan 4th fourth to seal nan win.

The Sparks person mislaid 3 consecutive games for nan first clip since past June. They mislaid to Connecticut connected May 30 earlier a mediocre violative outing against Las Vegas connected Tuesday. With Plum, they eclipsed their 69-point full from that crippled by midway done nan 3rd 4th Friday.

But Dallas’ discourtesy was excessively overmuch for nan WNBA’s worst defense.

The Sparks led by arsenic overmuch arsenic 9 successful nan 2nd 4th but surrendered nan lead precocious successful nan 4th arsenic nan Wings changeable 55% to trim nan lead to 1 by halftime.

The Sparks led 78-77 going into nan 4th aft a back-and-forth 3rd quarter, but Dallas went connected a 15-5 tally to lead by eight. It was nan only acold 4th for nan Sparks, who scored conscionable 18 points, pinch much than half of their discourtesy coming from Plum.

It was a two-point crippled pinch nether 2 minutes to play erstwhile Ogunbowale collected a rebound disconnected her ain changeable to springiness nan Wings a two-possession lead earlier Plum missed a three-pointer and a free throw.

Nneka Ogwumike notched a double-double pinch 13 points and 10 rebounds while Ariel Atkins scored 16 points.

Ogunbowale scored a game-high 30 points while Bueckers posted a career-high 14 assists and Shepherd had 22 points and 15 rebounds.

Wings defender Odyssey Sims near nan tribunal successful a wheelchair successful nan 2nd 4th aft she twisted her near ankle coming down from a rebound attempt; she didn’t return. In nan fourth, Aziaha James had to beryllium carried disconnected by her teammates aft she sewage deed difficult by an Ogwumike screen.

The Sparks will big nan description Portland Fire (6-6) connected Sunday, who mislaid a tight crippled against Phoenix connected Friday night.