The post Dearica Hamby reveals Sparks’ mindset going into road trip appeared first on ClutchPoints.
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Sparks have been one of the hottest teams in the WNBA going back before the All-Star break with a record of 10-4 in their last 14 games. That run was cooled off a bit following their 105-97 loss on Tuesday against the New York Liberty. The Sparks now head out on a mini-road trip with the playoffs still within full reach, and Dearica Hamby summed up the team’s mindset as they continue to make a push for the postseason.
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“Just continue the momentum we’ve had the last 12 games. One game shouldn’t break us,” Hamby said. “We did a lot of things well, and we didn’t play our best basketball. But we got three really important games coming up that we need and should win, and go from there.”
The Sparks upcoming road trip will consist of two games, one against the Dallas Wings on Friday and the other against the Washington Mystics on Sunday. The team then returns home on Wednesday, Aug. 20 against the Wings to complete the three-game stretch against teams under .500. If the Sparks are serious about making the playoffs, they should win those three games as Dearica Hamby said.
As it stands, the Sparks are currently 15-17 and half a game behind the Seattle Storm for the eighth and final playoff spot. They hold the current tiebreaker with the Storm with one more head-to-head matchup before the end of the regular season.
With the Sparks continuing their season-turnaround, Hamby has been one of the steadying influences on this team. During the team’s most recent win last Sunday against the Storm, it was Hamby who scored the go-ahead basket in the final seconds that ultimately would be the game-winner.
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She’s appeared in all 32 games to this point at a little over 31 minutes per game. She’s been averaging a career-high 17.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals with splits of 56.9 percent shooting from the field, 27.3 percent shooting from the three-point line and 61.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Hamby, alongside Kelsey Plum, have been the Sparks’ leaders this season, and following the Liberty loss, head coach Lynne Roberts reaffirmed her belief in her two stars’ leadership during the final stretch of the regular season.
“These are two of the best players in the league, and so for me, I don’t worry about these two. I trust that they’ll lead the way and show up the way stars, All-Stars show up. And that’s what it’s going to take. We’ve had a good run but we’re not done yet,” Roberts said. “I don’t have any doubt in these two next to me that they’re going to be ready to shoot nails come the next game. And that’s what leadership is, and that’s what being one of the best players, that’s the responsibility that comes with it.”
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