The post Kelsey Plum shatters Jordin Canada’s Sparks record vs. Dream appeared first on ClutchPoints.
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Sparks suffered a huge blow to their playoff hopes as they took an 86-75 loss to the Atlanta Dream. The Sparks fell to 19-21 on the year, and with four games to go, they remain 1.5 games below the Indiana Fever for the eighth and final playoff spot.
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It is looking likely that the Sparks miss the playoffs for the third consecutive year, falling short of their hopes to turn the team’s fortunes around especially after they brought in two-time WNBA champion Kelsey Plum in free agency. Plum has been as good as advertised in her first year in LA, but it hasn’t been enough, much like her 18-point, seven-assist performance on Wednesday.
But if there’s any consolation for the Sparks, Plum, like her good friend and teammate Dearica Hamby, made a bit of history on Wednesday. By tallying seven assists against the Dream, she surpassed Jordin Canada, who is coincidentally a member of the Atlanta roster that beat them, and her record for most assists in a single season in Sparks history. (Plum has 229, surpassing Canada’s record of 228.)
Plum is currently averaging 5.9 assists per game this season, which is good for top-five in the association. This is not too far off from her usual numbers, even though this tally of hers is a career-best considering that she’s more of a featured player on the Sparks roster than a part of an ensemble when she was with the Aces.
If there’s anything Plum and the Sparks need, it’s better depth. Outside of Plum, Hamby, and Rickea Jackson, the Sparks do not have too many offensive threats. Plum could very well get highest assist numbers once the Sparks improve the roster even further in an attempt to snap their postseason drought.
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Sparks’ playoff drought nears three years
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Sparks have been one of the most successful franchises in the entire WNBA. They’ve won three championships in their history, and they’ve had many greats of the game play for the team, from Lisa Leslie to Candace Parker to Nneka Ogwumike. But they don’t have that franchise talent anymore, and it has caused a bit of a downturn in their fortunes.
Having Plum, Hamby, and Jackson around is a good start, and Cameron Brink has potential, especially as she moves further away from her injury woes. But the Sparks have to acquire that game-changing talent to get the ball rolling in their championship aspirations.
Related: Sparks’ Dearica Hamby hits extremely rare all-around milestone vs. Dream
