The post Sparks’ path to clinching spot 2025 WNBA Playoffs appeared first on ClutchPoints.
The Los Angeles Sparks have made some huge strides forward during the 2025 WNBA season. The addition of Kelsey Plum, and a healthy Cameron Brink, have made the Sparks a dangerous team. Los Angeles is not yet a superpower in the Western Conference, but they are finally showing signs of becoming a competitive team very soon.
Advertisement
There’s no denying that trading for Plum was a great move by LA. Plum is having an excellent season, averaging 20.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. She is playing more minutes (35.5 per game) than ever before and still maintaining the efficiency of her excellent 2022 season in Las Vegas.
It is good that Sparks fans have some reasons to be optimistic about the future. But could their fortunes turn as soon as this season?
Do the Sparks really have a chance at going to the playoffs? Or will their magic carpet ride end prematurely?
Below we will explore the path the Sparks must take if they want to clinch a spot in the 2025 WNBA playoffs.
Advertisement
Are the Sparks still alive in the 2025 WNBA playoff race?
Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Yes the Los Angeles Sparks are still alive in the WNBA playoff hunt. But they are hanging on by a thread.
The Sparks are the only team in the WNBA that is alive in the playoff race that is currently without a spot in the postseason.
The Wings, Mystics, Sun, and Sky have all been eliminated from making the playoffs. That means the Sparks still have a chance to claw their way into the playoffs.
Fortunately, the Sparks have one advantage that other WNBA teams do not have. Los Angeles still has seven games left on their regular season schedule. If they go on a run to end the season, LA could make up enough ground to head to the playoffs.
Advertisement
Here is the remaining schedule for the Sparks.
-
at Storm on September 1st
-
at Dream on September 3rd and 5th
-
vs. Wings on September 7th
-
at Mercury on September 9th
-
vs. Aces on September 11th
The Sparks have just a 6.7% chance to make the postseason according to ESPN’s WNBA Power Index.
It was recently as high as 23.6%, but plummeted after Friday’s loss against the Fever. That lose could end up being a game that Los Angeles regrets letting slip away a few weeks from now.
The numbers suggest that it is still mathematically possible for LA to pull off an improbable playoff appearance.
But what exactly do the Sparks need to happen to pull it off?
Can the Sparks pull off an improbable playoff berth?
Simply put, they need to win a ton of games. And get some help along the way.
Advertisement
LA needs to find a way to catch up to, and surpass, Golden State for the final spot in the WNBA playoffs.
But it won’t be easy.
The Valkyries still have six games to play before the end of the regular season.
The best chance the Sparks have to make the playoffs is to outpace the Valkyries during the final weeks of the regular season. Golden State currently has a three-game advantage over LA. That does not give the Sparks much margin for error.
The Valkyries also hold a potential tiebreaker against the Sparks. That means that LA needs to surpass Golden State’s record to make the playoffs.
While it is technically possible for the Sparks to close the gap and make up four games of ground, it feels very unlikely.
Advertisement
Games against the Dream, Mercury, and Aces will be difficult for the Sparks to win. They will be the biggest challenge for LA.
As for the Valkyries, they have some troubling matchups of their own. Of their six remaining games, two are against the Lynx and one against the Liberty. They also play the Fever, Storm, and Wings.
The Sparks should be rooting for the Fever on Sunday night.
Indiana will play against Golden State in a game with playoff implications for both teams. A win by the Fever would help solidify their place in the postseason, as they are currently ranked sixth in the WNBA standings.
Advertisement
But more importantly for LA, it would give Golden State another loss.
Ultimately, Sparks fans need to take things one day at a time. For Sunday’s purposes, that means taking care of the Mystics and rooting against the Valkyries.
Related: Dearica Hamby reveals Sparks’ mentality after crushing Fever loss
Related: Lynne Roberts question if ‘no offseason’ contributes to uptick in WNBA injuries
