If one phrase sums up the ’ season to this point, it’s hardship. Accidents proceed to mount, and , their main scorer and star, has joined the rising record of sidelined gamers.
Plum’s absence was sorely felt as what started as a valiant effort by the Sparks — protecting tempo with the visiting Storm by means of the primary half — rapidly unraveled right into a blowout loss Tuesday at Crypto.com Area.
Already down two key starters — Plum and — the Sparks have been pressured to piece collectively a brand new beginning lineup on brief discover. , , , and newly acquired marked the Sparks’ fifth completely different beginning 5 this season.
“We clearly missed [Plum],” mentioned. “We missed Odyssey. We missed Julie [Allemand]. These are our three lead guards, and none of them are right here.”
Plum was out with a leg damage, Sims for private causes and Allemand is with the Belgium nationwide workforce for the European basketball championship. Plum’s absence was essentially the most felt — she is averaging profession highs in factors (20.9), assists (5.6), rebounds (2.9) and steals (1.7) to this point this season.
Peddy, signed to a hardship contract, joined the workforce simply earlier than Saturday’s loss to the Minnesota Lynx. Since then, she has had only one follow below her belt earlier than stepping in to exchange Plum at level guard.
Additionally signed below a hardship exception, Grace Berger flew in late Monday and joined the workforce simply hours earlier than the sport. Berger went scoreless in16 minutes.
“I assumed Shey and Grace did a very good job,” Roberts mentioned. “They did what they may, but it surely’s arduous to execute stuff that they’ve had little time to digest. It’s not anybody’s fault. That’s simply the truth.”
Operating the offense by means of their anchor, Hamby, the Sparks (4-9) held their very own by means of the primary 20 minutes, refusing to waver. They trailed 47-37 by halftime.
Hamby completed with a season-low eight factors and grabbed seven rebounds.
However the resilience was short-lived. As the sport wore on, cracks within the offense widened. Careless passes led to a flurry of turnovers.
Seattle’s Gabby Williams set the tone early with six steals within the first half. She completed with eight, together with 11 factors and 7 assists. The Storm scored 31 factors off 24 Sparks turnovers, with 24 of these factors approaching quick breaks.
A 14–5 run — led by former Sparks star Nneka Ogwumike — gave Seattle (7-5) a 62–42 lead with 5:37 left within the third. Ogwumike scored 10 of her 26 factors within the quarter.
“Within the second half, we couldn’t get a cease,” Roberts mentioned. “We’ve obtained to have the ability to defend. We are able to’t hand over 98 factors and anticipate to beat anyone.”
Stevens echoed her coach’s sentiment: “Clearly, we’ve key folks out, however we’ve sufficient to nonetheless execute and get issues accomplished. And it begins defensively.”
A number of Sparks starters — together with Hamby, Jackson and Stevens — remained within the sport late into the fourth, however the deficit had lengthy grown insurmountable, with the workforce trailing by as many as 30 factors. Jackson led the Sparks with 17 factors, whereas Stevens completed with 16 factors and 10 rebounds.
The information of Plum’s absence got here as a shock simply after follow on Monday, with the Sparks ruling her out due to a decrease leg damage.
Dominique Malonga, the 2025 first-round draft choose subsequently chosen as a part of the three-team commerce for Plum, completed with seven factors in 12 minutes for Seattle.
It’s nonetheless unclear when Plum sustained the damage, although it presumably occurred throughout Saturday’s loss to the Lynx. She underwent imaging the subsequent day, however the workforce says the outcomes supplied little readability.
Much more unsure is her return timeline. It’s unclear if she is going to play Saturday towards Minnesota. Roberts mentioned Plum is “tuned in to her physique — she’ll know when she’s able to go.”
Via the primary 12 video games of the season, solely Atlanta Dream star Rhyne Howard is averaging extra minutes per sport than Plum’s 36.
“I nonetheless imagine strongly on this group, and we’re not even near full power,” Roberts mentioned. “We’ve got Kelsey Plum, Odyssey Sims, Julie Allemand, Rae Burrell and Cameron Brink all out. And after we’re going into the season, we’re pondering, Plum, Sims, Allemand, Burrell and Brink are all going to be large components. So we can not lose perspective.”
However a protracted absence for Plum might spell severe bother for a workforce already reeling.
