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Despite Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby both having great individual offensive starts to the season, the Los Angeles Sparks are 2-3.
In a year when the Sparks were expected to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 COVID-affected season, they are still looking for consistency through the opening quintet of games. Next up for Los Angeles is a road rematch with the defending champion Aces.
Here’s how Plum and Hamby have found offensive success, why the Sparks are still struggling and how Los Angeles can find a way to a win Saturday night.
Plum and Hamby’s strong scoring
Though it is still early in the season, Plum is having a great start. Her 24.6 points per game rank second in the league behind reigning MVP A’ja Wilson, and her 0.9 offensive win shares lead the WNBA.
Like her teammate, Hamby is also enjoying an impressive start to the season. She is one of two players currently in the top 10 this season in points per game (19.0) and field-goal percentage (62.7%). The combination of former teammates in San Antonio and Las Vegas has resulted in the Sparks’ top two scorers this season.
In addition to her scoring prowess, Hamby has been exceptional on the boards this season. Her 8.8 rebounds per game and 20.9% total rebound rate each rank seventh in the WNBA. For a team whose rebound rate ranks just 12th in the league, Hamby has been vital to helping her team salvage whatever it can on the boards.
Defense and scoring depth remain issues
Los Angeles’ lack of scoring depth could come to a head Saturday against the Aces. Las Vegas’ defense has been exceptional so far this year, including in the first meeting against the Sparks when they were held to just 78 points. In that season-opening contest, Plum, Hamby and Nneka Ogwumike combined for 58 with the rest of the team scoring just 20 points.
As a whole, the Sparks need more scoring depth to compete for a playoff spot. Rae Burrell and Cameron Brink are each accounting for eight points per game on fairly efficient rates, but Ariel Atkins’ seven points have come on 29% shooting so far this year. Erica Wheeler is even less efficient, with her 4.6 points per game coming on just 24% shooting from the field.
Defensively, the Sparks let up a league-worst 115.9 points per 100 possessions. Part of that has to do with their inability to protect the rim so far this season, allowing teams to shoot 68% within five feet, second-worst in the WNBA. Another factor in the Sparks lackluster defense has been their inability to limit second-chance opportunities. They have allowed opponents to grab 30.6% of their own misses this year, an opponent offensive rebound rate that ranks 14th out of 15 teams .
How Sparks can find footing against Aces
In Los Angeles’ two wins this season, including Thursday against Phoenix, the Sparks got the ball to its best players. Plum, Hamby and Ogwumike took 36 of the 64 field-goal attempts in Phoenix, with Hamby also adding five offensive rebounds to her stat line. Defensively, the Sparks held DeWanna Bonner to just nine points and limited its loss on the glass to a two-rebound disadvantage.
Against A’ja Wilson and the Aces, Los Angeles’ offense needs to continue to have its best players be the ones shooting the ball. The Sparks cannot get depth players going without more touches, but doing so results in giving up points in the short-term.
Controlling Las Vegas’ efficiency is vital defensively. In the season opener, the Aces shot 62% from the field against Los Angeles’ 37% shooting. Forcing the top Aces players into tougher shots will go a long way toward pulling off the road win.
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