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Sparks start fast, hold on late to beat Toronto for 1st win

LOS ANGELES — Kelsey Plum had game-highs of 27 points and nine assists as the Sparks roared out of the starting gate then held on down the stretch to beat the expansion Toronto Tempo, 99-95, on Friday night for their first win of the young season.

The Sparks inserted veteran point guard Erica Wheeler into the starting lineup, and that decision, which moved Plum to shooting guard, paid off immediately. The Sparks outscored Toronto 21-2 in the first five minutes of the game and shot 64% from the field for the night in a wire-to-wire victory at Crypto.com Arena.

Nneka Ogwumike scored 20 points, Dearica Hamby had 19 and Rae Burrell added 13. Wheeler finished with 10 points and seven assists in 33 minutes. Reserve forward Cameron Brink added 10 points in 16 minutes.

“It’s a true point guard at that spot,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said before the game. “The one thing the last couple of games, we just have not been organized offensively very well, and so hopefully we can just play a little more organized. It’s a work in progress.”

The Sparks (1-2) saw their lead trimmed to 89-87 with 2:26 left on a driving layup by former Spark Brittney Sykes, who matched Plum with 27 points. Ogwumike’s three-point play made it a two-possession game again at 92-87 with 2:06 remaining, but Toronto wasn’t done.

The Tempo, who had trailed by 20 in the second half, cut the margin to three points on three free throws (one technical) with just under a minute left, but Plum made a pair of free throws with 13.8 seconds left and Brink added two more with 8.9 left to make it 99-93.

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Rookie forward Laura Justkaite added 19 points for the Tempo. Forward Nyara Sabally had 14 points and nine rebounds, while rookie guard Kiki Rice (UCLA) scored 11.

The Sparks will host Toronto (1-2) again on Sunday at 4 p.m. in the finale of their four-game season-opening homestand.

Burrell’s role as a two-way player was on full display against Toronto, as the Sparks moved the ball efficiently while scorching the nets. They finished with 26 assists on their 37 made field goals and had a 54-30 scoring advantage in the paint.

“Just bring my energy, bring my length, bring my versatility,” said Burrell, who scored all 13 points of her points in the first half. “Get to the paint. Get some rebounds. Make open shots. Just do anything around the court that my team needs me to do, honestly.”

The Sparks led 46-38 at halftime after shooting 58.6% in the first 20 minutes.

The home team began the second half on a 12-0 run, opening a 58-38 advantage on a 3-pointer by Wheeler with 5:55 left in the third quarter.

The Tempo clawed back again and cut the Sparks’ lead to 74-63 going into the fourth, setting the stage for the tight finish.

Sparks guard Ariel Atkins (concussion protocol) and forward Sania Feagin (leg) missed the game due to injuries. Atkins being sidelined, in particular, opened the door for third-year guard Kate Martin, who signed a developmental contract last weekend, to be elevated to the team’s active roster.

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“I think the thing about Kate is she’s played in the league,” Roberts explained. “She understands the league. She understands the game. She’s familiar with who we’re playing. She’s been incredible since we’ve had her.”

Martin, who made her Sparks debut with 6:13 left in the second quarter, said before the game that she was focused on being herself. The former Iowa guard did not score in six minutes but grabbed one rebound.

“Be energetic,” Martin said, “go out there and do the little things and play the right way.”

“Life comes at you fast, definitely,” Martin continued, “And so just making the most of every moment. Making the most of this opportunity. Even though it has been a short time, I’ve really missed basketball. I’ve missed being part of a team and putting on a uniform. I feel very grateful and I’m not going to take it for granted.”

HOMECOMING FOR RICE

Rice, who helped UCLA win a national championship last month, was playing her first WNBA road game.

“Just excited,” Rice said before the game. “At the end of the day, it’s just another game, but it will be really cool to see a lot of friends, old teammates, and some family coming out. It’s my first time playing at Crypto.”


“Kiki has been great,” Toronto coach Sandy Brondello said before the game. “We got really lucky getting her in the draft. She hasn’t disappointed.”

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