Sparks Stun Storm in 94-91 Thriller to Keep Playoff Push Alive

Los Angeles Sparks vs Seattle Storm August 10 at Crypto.com Arean - Photo by Jackie Rae

The Seattle Storm entered Sunday night’s matchup at Crypto.com Arena against the Los Angeles Sparks riding a four-game skid — each loss decided by four points or less.

Storm head coach Noelle Quinn emphasized the need for better execution early, and her team clearly embraced the message. By the end of the first quarter, Seattle held a 12-point lead.

The Sparks chipped away in the second quarter, tying the game at 29-29 after Rae Burrell’s clutch three-pointer and a matching triple from Kelsey Plum. By halftime, Los Angeles had edged ahead by one, setting the stage for a tight second half.

The Storm had their moments but couldn’t create separation despite Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Dominique Malonga all reaching double figures. Late in the third, Cameron Brink knocked down an uncontested three to give the Sparks a slim edge. Early in the fourth, the game was tied again at 74.

Down the stretch, it came down to ball security and capitalizing on offensive rebounds. Plum grabbed her own miss and kicked it out to Julie Allemand for an open three, putting the Sparks ahead by three. Ogwumike and Brittney Sykes responded for Seattle, helping the Storm to an 85-80 lead with under four minutes left. Diggins extended the cushion with a midrange floater for a seven-point advantage.

The intensity ratcheted up in the final minutes. A timeout by Seattle didn’t slow Los Angeles, as Azurá Stevens drilled a three to cut the deficit to two. Moments later, Dearica Hamby drew a foul on Malonga and sank both free throws to tie the game.

After Sykes fouled Plum, the Sparks guard hit two clutch shots at the line for a two-point lead with 56 seconds left.

Sykes tied the game once more, but Allemand ran down the clock before feeding Hamby for an easy bucket to make it 93-91 with 17 seconds to go. Allemand then sealed the win with a key steal, and the Sparks prevailed 94-91.

The victory was a testament to Los Angeles’ resilience. Despite surrendering a 17-0 Storm run in the first quarter, the Sparks roared back with a 26-7 burst in the second, showing they are buying into head coach Curt Miller’s system.

“It took us a quarter to kind of get the lead out from the game last night,” Roberts said. “The worst thing you can do is fear losing. It’s important to stay in attack mode.”

The Sparks did just that. Plum led the way with 20 points and seven assists. Hamby scored 19, delivering in multiple clutch moments. Allemand was the unsung hero, finishing with three steals and orchestrating the offense.

“She takes so much pressure off me,” Plum said. “Her pace is unbelievable. She reads things super well. Julie doesn’t get enough credit.”

With the win, Los Angeles keeps its playoff hopes alive, improving to 15-16 and sitting in ninth place. The Storm (8th place) still hold the final postseason spot, but there’s plenty of basketball left to play.

Next up, the Sparks face the second-place New York Liberty on Tuesday.