Sparks surge into playoff chase as post-break run continues
The Los Angeles Sparks have become one of the hottest teams in the WNBA since the All-Star break, climbing to 15-16 and sitting a half-game out of the eighth and final playoff seed. They’ve won nine of their last 11, a pace that matches the league-leading Minnesota Lynx, and they’re looking for a strong finish to secure a postseason berth after a rough stretch a month earlier.
LA has unlocked its offense with a stable starting group that formed just before the break. Upon Julie Allemand’s return from EuroBasket glory with Belgium, first-year head coach Lynne Roberts has rolled out Allemand alongside Dearica Hamby, Rickea Jackson, Kelsey Plum and Azurá Stevens. That five-man unit is 10-4 together, compared with a 5-12 mark for the other combinations. Allemand’s ball-handling and scoring pressure have eased Plum’s workload; Plum herself has embraced a more selective approach, saying she’s “best when I take fewer shots.” Since Allemand’s first start on July 3, Plum has reduced her attempts while boosting efficiency, going from 16.1 field-goal attempts per game to 12.3, while lifting her shooting to around 46.5% from the field and 40.6% from three, and increasing her assist totals to a career-high 6.1 per game over the season.
The flip side, as always, is defense. The Sparks’ defense remains a liability, ranking near the bottom of the league by allowing 87.8 points per game — a negative net rating that has hampered their ceiling even as their offense has blossomed. They’ve shown vulnerability in the paint, allowing the second-most points in the paint (38.3 per game), and while they’ve held opponents under 100 in several wins, they’ve also conceded 100 or more twice this season, a mark that trails only a few teams with more frequent high-scoring displays. The bright spot on the horizon is the return of Cameron Brink from an ACL injury; her presence has begun to bolster the interior defense, with elite rim protection through a limited sample and 13 blocks in just 85 minutes.
The Sparks’ recent results have created a compelling dynamic with Seattle, a current postseason hopeful that has spluttered of late. Hamby delivered a pair of late-game heroics in a 108-106 double-overtime win in Seattle on Aug. 1, and then again in a 94-91 win in Los Angeles on Sunday, as Seattle’s slide strengthens LA’s playoff case. The quest for the final two playoff spots remains tight, with the Valkyries, Storm, Sparks and Mystics all within 1.5 games of each other. The Mystics and Sparks have the easier remaining schedules, though LA still has to play Minnesota and hasn’t yet faced Dallas in the regular season.
Looking ahead, the Sparks are part of a crucial stretch in a season that features renewed contenders and a dramatic late-mity of the standings. The week’s featured performers and matchups reflect the shifting landscape: A’ja Wilson of the Aces had a standout week, while New York’s Liberty headline a trio of games tagged as a “Game of the Week” slate, including a clash against LA on Tuesday, a meeting with the Liberty in New York on Wednesday, and a showdown with the Lynx on CBS this weekend.
The power rankings paint a clear picture of the competitive balance in the league, with Minnesota atop the field and several teams bunched within striking distance of the playoffs. For the Sparks, the path is simple in theory: defend more consistently, maintain the new starting lineup’s momentum, and finish strong enough to carve out a secure spot in the postseason. If they can tighten the defensive screws and keep the offense humming, they’ll enter the stretch with a real shot at advancing.
Summary and outlook: Los Angeles has turned a midseason lull into a playoff-chasing surge by leveraging Allemand’s return and a more disciplined Plum-driven offense, even as defensive gaps remain a concern. The coming weeks will test whether the Sparks can maintain this balance and hold off a tight group battling for the final seeds, potentially setting the stage for a meaningful postseason push. A hopeful takeaway is that the team’s depth and improved chemistry should translate into a competitive, entertaining finish for fans.