Late Push Lifts Sparks Over Storm in Thriller
The new-look Seattle Storm faced off against the red-hot Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday in a game with major playoff implications. The Sparks edged out the Storm in a 94–91 victory. Seattle came into the matchup struggling, having lost seven of their last ten games. Meanwhile, Los Angeles was battling fatigue, playing on the second night of a back-to-back after falling to Golden State less than 24 hours earlier.
Seattle came out strong in the first quarter, jumping to a 15–5 lead and forcing an L.A. timeout with four minutes remaining. The Storm extended their momentum with a dominant 16–0 run before the Sparks trimmed the deficit slightly, ending the quarter down 26–14. The Sparks opened the second with a run to cut the lead to seven. Back-to-back threes from Kelsey Plum and Rae Burrell tied the game at 29 with seven minutes left in the half. The Sparks caught fire late in the quarter, closing on a 24–8 run. The second frame featured several lead changes, but L.A. ultimately took a 46–45 lead into halftime.
The third quarter was tightly contested, with both teams trading baskets and showcasing strong playmaking. The newly acquired Brittney Sykes capped off the back-and-forth frame with a last-minute layup, giving Seattle a 69–68 lead heading into the fourth. Cameron Brink sparked the Sparks early in the final quarter with a putback and a three-pointer to retake the lead. The game remained close, with both teams exchanging leads and Seattle going up by seven with just under three minutes to play. Azura Stevens knocked down a clutch three to cut the deficit to two, and two free throws tied the game with just over a minute remaining. Dearica Hamby scored on a perfectly executed pick-and-roll to put L.A. ahead, but Seattle answered with a game-tying layup seconds later. Hamby delivered again, converting an and-one layup in the final seconds to seal the win for the Sparks.
Looking ahead, Seattle faces a crucial stretch as it tries to stay in the playoff hunt, including two key matchups against Atlanta and a tough test against the Phoenix Mercury. The Sparks, meanwhile, will look to carry their momentum into a matchup with the reigning champion, the New York Liberty, before heading into a more favorable stretch against struggling teams. With both teams battling for position in a tight playoff race, every game down the stretch carries added weight. The final weeks of the season could determine not just seeding, but who makes the playoffs at all.
