Sparks lost 8th straight game after fourth quarter meltdown against Mystics

LOS ANGELES -- The game was right there for the taking for the Sparks. And then in a flash, it was taken away from them.

The Sparks led, 66-52, before the Mystics (5-15) erased the lead completely in under four minutes with 14 straight points. A big three-point play by Stefanie Dolson gave Washington a three-point lead late. The Mystics would hold the lead for good and defeat the Sparks, 82-80. Los Angeles (4-15) has now lost eight straight games.

Sparks head coach Curt Miller talked about the three-point shooting by the Mystics before the game. And sure enough, that three-point barrage by Washington helped them take the lead late and then the game.

"In their five wins now, they're averaging 44 percent or higher from the arc," Miller summarized. "In their losses, they shot 33 percent. They started right out of the gate, making threes in the first quarter. Obviously, big threes on slippage defensively, mistakes made by our players in our coverage in the fourth quarter. So they shoot 46 percent for the game at the arc and that's been their recipe for their five wins."

It started out so promising for the Sparks, too. They looked like they were in control for most of the game, building up their lead to 14 early in the fourth quarter. But it was a freefall from there.

"I feel like we stopped moving," Miller said. "And again, some of that is nerves and some of that is they took away Dearica (Hamby). Where are we going to get other baskets from when teams really up their pressure? We don't have a one-on-one, just "break you down" guard like the Jewell Loyds and the (Arike Ogunbowale)s so it has to be a team effort.

"We got a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter and we started taking quick threes very early in shot clocks," Miller continued. "And that's just not time and score awareness that we may pass up some of those threes early in the clock and try to really keep them moving. Again, you just gotta keep putting this team in that position. And our veterans, the ones that we do have, have to lead in that situation on the court and get them settled and get them into stuff."

Newly-minted all-star Dearica Hamby agreed.

"They hit some timely shots," Hamby said. "Our offense started going away from the things that were working and having empty possessions. And yeah, couldn't get stops."

The Mystics outscored the Sparks, 30-16, in the fourth quarter. Shatori Walker-Kimbrough was huge in that period, scoring 10 of her 17 points, which led the team. 

L.A. had four players in double figures, led by Stephanie Talbot and Aari McDonald with 17 points each. Dearica Hamby had her 12th double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds. As for the Mystics, they had five players in double figs with Myisha Hines-Allen scoring 16 and Julie Vanloo putting in 15 points.

The Sparks also shot well from three, going 13 for 30 (.433). But what matters on the surface are the results and the fact is that Los Angeles has now lost eight in a row.

It hasn't been all bad for the Sparks. Hamby was announced to the All-Star team, which is the third of her career. And it was also announced that Kia Nurse will be playing for Team Canada in the 2024 Paris Olympics. It'll be her third Olympic games this summer.

As for the Sparks, the season just keeps going. They play next on Friday against the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces. The last time the Sparks played them, they defeated the Aces in a thrilling contest. But a lot has changed since June 9th.

So after eight straight losses, what does Hamby tell the team after a gut-wrenching defeat like this?

"Next game," Hamby said.

That's all they can do.

The Sporting Tribune's Fredo Cervantes contributed to this report.