In an intense back-and-forth battle Friday night at Crypto.com Arena, the Sparks ultimately suffered a 76-75 loss to the Indiana Fever that hindered their push for a playoff spot.
The Sparks (17-20) opened strong, controlling the pace in the first quarter and maintaining their edge through the first half. They closed the second quarter with a 47-44 lead, fueled by efficient shooting and steady defense.
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But after halftime, Indiana (21-19) found its scoring momentum and shifted the game. The Fever surged in the third quarter, briefly taking command, before the Sparks fought back to close the period ahead 58-57.
Azurá Stevens led the Sparks with 17 points and six rebounds. Rae Burrell added 12 points and two rebounds, while Kelsey Plum contributed 12 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark celebrates her team’s last-minute win as frustrated Sparks players walk off the court Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
With Caitlin Clark sidelined for the 18th straight game, Indiana leaned on Aliyah Boston and former Spark Odyssey Sims to carry the load. Boston delivered a steady performance with 22 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. Sims finished with 21 points and six rebounds.
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The Sparks unraveled in the final 30 seconds of the game.
Boston grabbed an offensive rebound with 20 seconds remaining and the Sparks ahead by one point. She set up Sims, who drove and scored with 13.6 seconds left.
After a Sparks timeout, Boston stole Plum’s bad pass with 3.8 seconds remaining. The Sparks tried to foul to regain possession, but they ran out of time to put up another shot.
The Sparks remain in ninth place with seven games left in the regular season. They trail the Golden State Valkyries by two games for the eighth and final playoff spot.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
