The Los Angeles Sparks beat the Indiana Fever 100-91, ending Stephanie White’s team’s five-game winning streak.
Just when it seemed that Indiana was recovering from the absence of Caitlin Clark, a new defeat shook them. Meanwhile, the Sparks racked up their second consecutive win and their third against the Fever, who have been unable to beat them in the three times they have faced each other this season.
White’s reaction
Of course, this situation did not go unnoticed by Indiana coach Stephanie White, but she highlighted her players’ performances despite the result at a press conference:
I felt like we got good shots. Sometimes they don’t fall. … Oftentimes we can get people going in transition. We couldn’t do it because we couldn’t get stops. You can’t get out on transition when you’re consistently taking the ball in the net.
During the game, Kelsey Mitchell stood out the most. She was not only the team’s top scorer, but also the game’s top scorer with 34 points. She also had six assists and two rebounds.
However, the 48-year-old coach also analyzed the situation and admitted that the team’s weakest point was defense, which is what she plans to focus on:
For us, we felt like we had enough, offensively. But we didn’t get it done on the defensive end of the floor. … We got to get better on the defensive end of the floor.
The truth is that at least four Sparks starters scored at least 16 points and the team collectively made more than half of their field goals, giving credence to White’s point.
This loss leaves the Fever with a 17-13 record for the season, placing them in fifth place in the WNBA. With the clear goal of qualifying for the playoffs, Indiana will have to work hard to keep racking up wins to secure their spot there and home-court advantage in the first round.
Now, they must prepare to face the Phoenix Mercury at PHX Arena on Thursday, August 7. It is still unknown whether Clark will remain sidelined or return to the court.
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