Sun @ Sparks preview: Slowing down the hottest offense in the WNBA

When we last saw the Los Angeles Sparks, we were lamenting the fact that the Sun had given up 100 points, again, for the sixth time this season. It was a sign that the Sun’s defensive deficiencies were frustratingly going to continue in the second half of the season.

Well, thankfully, they haven’t. And those Sparks - who were once 5-13 - are now the hottest offensive team in the WNBA, scoring 100 in three of their last four games as they have inserted themselves firmly in the playoff picture at 13-15.

No one is going to feel sorry for the Sun this season, but Thursday’s game is another case of possibly getting a team at the wrong time. The two teams did not meet in the first six weeks of the season when Los Angeles was struggling, and now they have Cameron Brink back as well as they look to make a playoff push.

Cameron Brink is back and had five blocks in a recent game (Grace Hollars)

For most teams, just reaching the playoffs is not exactly a lofty goal, but it’s been a minute (2020) since the Sparks have reached the WNBA playoffs, and it certainly looked like that streak was going to reach five seasons before their latest run.

It’s easy to point to Kelsey Plum as the reason for the turnaround, and she’s certainly a big part of it, but it’s the surrounding cast that has flourished in the last weeks. They are the third best shooting team in the league, hitting 13-for-26 from behind the three-point arc in beating Indiana on Tuesday. Azura Stevens, who will create matchup nightmares again Thursday for the Sun, was 5-for-5, and Rickea Jackson was all but unguardable, going 3-for-5 from behind the arc. Then flying under the radar is Dearica Hamby, who isn’t always flashy, but is so athletic for her 6-foot-3 frame and is shooting 56.2% from the field (and averaging 17.1 points per game) this season.

It will be a big test for Connecticut’s improved defense, but the Sparks have not exactly locked opponents down, either, so will we see plenty of points again Thursday night?: 

  

SUN @ LOS ANGELES SPARKS

Time: Thursday, 10 p.m. EDT

Place: Ponzi-scheme.com Arena; Los Angeles, Calif.

Records: Connecticut 5-23; Los Angeles 13-15

TV: NBC Sports Boston, WNBA League Pass

Line: Los Angeles -10

Absences: Connecticut - Bria Hartley (questionable, illness).

Los Angeles - NONE.

History between them: Los Angeles obviously won the first two meetings this season, but perhaps recent history is a sign of how much the Sparks have struggled, Connecticut had won 13 straight regular season meetings dating back to 2020. That gives the Sun a 31-30 edge overall in the teams’ long history, and both teams have had a lot of WNBA success. The Sun also eliminated Los Angeles in the 2020 Wubble and swept the Sparks in three straight games in the 2019 semifinals.

What to look for: It’s easy to focus on Plum and how physical she is, Leila Lacan has matched up well with opposing point guards, but she has been prone to foul trouble, so she’ll have to watch that. Julie Allemand is the only Sparks starter that really isn’t capable of lighting opponents up quickly, so it might be a pick your poison situation. Olivia Nelson-Ododa is Dearica Hamby’s sister-in-law so they know each other well, and it’s a really good matchup, although the way Los Angeles uses pick-and-roll with their athleticism just makes them tough to stop with their athletes, even if you know what’s coming. 

With Bria Hartley possibly out, it should be Lacan’s show to run and maybe give Saniya Rivers a chance to break her recent slump. These are still the two worst teams in the WNBA in two-point defense, so the Sun should be able to get to the rim, led by Charles and Nelson-Ododa if things go well. If Marina Mabrey can hit some outside shots, she may be capable of putting up a big number for the first time in a while. 

Key players:  Connecticut: Saniya Rivers - Rivers is still the third-leading scorer for the Sun, but has not scored more than seven points in her last five games and has just looked really frustrated on the court. Maybe she’s hitting a rookie wall, but hopefully she’ll get increased minutes (she’s been less than 20 in three of the last four games) to break out.

Los Angeles: Cameron Brink - When up to speed, Brink should be able to be a rim protector and help the Sparks’ poor defensive numbers in the paint. But who does she replace in the lineup? The obvious answer is Allemand, but things have been working well with her at the point and Plum off the ball.

Advanced stat:  16.4% - Offensive turnover rate for Los Angeles, second worst in the WNBA (Chicago). This is where Connecticut has flourished of late, and they’re probably going to have to be aggressive to force mistakes or it could be a rough defensive night.

Tactical spotlight: The Sparks are also second in WNBA pace behind the Liberty, and the Sun did a decent job (granted without Breanna Stewart) containing New York, but we saw against Phoenix that bad offense could lead to transition. What makes Los Angeles so dangerous is their athleticism, especially Hamby, who beat Tina Charles down the court a few times in the last meeting. You add Jackson, Rae Burrell, and Plum, and it’s tough in transition.

Rachid Meziane went to some old-school “Chin” sets in Tuesday’s game, which had some success on backscreens, but also might be able to isolate someone like Charles at the high post. The danger for the Sun there is Charles taking too many mid-range shots, which has been a bane of our existence for a while here. Rivers, Lacan, and crew (Jacy Sheldon and Aneesah Morrow) hitting shots would certainly help the cause.

Inside the numbers: 24 - Number of two-point attempts for Julie Alleman this season. She has made 15 of them, but she doesn’t take many.

Prediction: 90-80 Los Angeles