LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Sparks dropped their third consecutive sport, this time an 82-73 loss at house to the Golden State Valkyries. The Sparks ended up attempting to play catch-up within the second half after giving up a 26-1 run within the second quarter. As has been a recurring theme for the Sparks this season, the Valkyries had been extra bodily, resulting in Dearica Hamby saying postgame that the workforce must get used to that.
“We performed Phoenix final sport. . .that’s been the emphasis all season,” Hamby mentioned throughout her postgame press convention. “Everyone goes to come back and be bodily and we’ve got to match that. We talked about setting that tone early on our finish. We simply obtained to match that. Clearly the refs are going to let issues go on and preserve their whistles, however simply obtained to match it.”
Primarily being ‘out-toughed’ by opposing groups has been a spotlight of emphasis through the early goings of the common season for the Sparks. It occurred of their first lack of the season towards the Minnesota Lynx and once more within the loss to the Mercury.
As Dearica Hamby alluded to, the Sparks had been just a little pissed off at a number of the perceived lack of calls from the officiating, ensuing within the elevated physciality. It was some extent that Kelsey Plum introduced up following the Mercury loss. After the Valkyries’ loss, head coach Lynne Roberts addressed the officiating whereas additionally stressing the significance of not dwelling an excessive amount of on the second.
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“We preach ‘subsequent play,’ and for me because the coach, you must advocate to your workforce and gamers. However you even have to maneuver on,” Roberts mentioned throughout her postgame press convention. “There was the foul on Dearica there, we had all of the momentum. That was a troublesome one. However we’ll return and take a look at it. You simply should have that subsequent play mentality, and I’ve obtained to do the identical factor.”
The foul on Hamby that Roberts was referring to got here late within the fourth quarter with the Sparks attempting to make one closing push to steal a win. Utilizing a 10-o run to crawl inside 5, 73-68, and just a little over one minute to go within the sport, Hamby was whistled for a foul whereas contesting a three-point shot by the Valkyries’ Kayla Thornton. Thornton would sink all three free-throws, primarily ending the Sparks’ comeback try.
The Sparks could have a fast turnaround, at house towards the Chicago Sky on Sunday as they give the impression of being to snap their present dropping streak.