Sparks Downed by Aces, 96-81

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WNBA Los Angeles Sparks

Sparks Downed by Aces, 96-81

May 31, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Los Angeles Sparks News Release


LAS VEGAS - The Sparks fell to the Las Vegas Aces Friday, 96-81, despite a season high in scoring from veteran guard Odyssey Sims and double-doubles from frontcourt duo Azurá Stevens and Dearica Hamby.

Sims scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting and 3-for-4 free throws converted from the free-throw line. The veteran also added four rebounds and two assists in her team-high 36 minutes of play.

Meanwhile, Stevens finished with 10 points (5-11 FG) and 10 rebounds to earn her 14th career double-double - and her second in the last two games.

Hamby also posted a double-double, finishing with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists.

Los Angeles equaled its highest shooting performance of the season (May 25 vs. the Sky), finishing 47.0% from the floor in the game. The Sparks also set a new season-high with 38 total rebounds on the night. What's Next?: The Sparks return home to face the Phoenix Mercury Sunday, June 1 (3 p.m.).

Postgame Notes

Los Angeles Sparks (2-5) at Las Vegas Aces (3-2)

Game 7 | May 30, 2025 | Michelob ULTRA Arena, Las Vegas, NV

Full Book

Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final

Sparks 21 21 17 22 81

Aces 28 29 23 16 96

Game Leaders

Sparks Aces

Points Kelsey Plum (17) A'ja Wilson (25)

Rebounds Dearica Hamby & Azurá Stevens (10) A'ja Wilson (13)

Assists Dearica Hamby (6) A'ja Wilson (6)

First Quarter:

Guard Odyssey Sims opened up the game's scoring with a layup at the 9:25 mark

Forward Dearica Hamby ended the Aces' 7-0 run with her second basket of the game, assisted by guard Kelsey Plum, to put L.A. within one point, 7-6, with 6:41 left in the quarter

Sims ended a 16-0 Las Vegas run with a basket at the 3:11 mark

Emma Cannon hit the two shots she attempted, both three-pointers, matching Sims and Hamby for a team-high six points

The Sparks finished the quarter on a 10-2 run, with eight points coming from players off the bench

Second Quarter:

Hamby completed a three-point play to cut the Sparks' deficit ro 35-31 with 6:46 remaining in the half

Plum scored her first basket of the game with a layup at the 5:17 mark, assisted by guard Julie Allemand, who had four assists in the second quarter

Liatu King made her first career WNBA three-pointer off an assist by Hamby, making the score 54-39 with 1:37 left in the half. King scored five five of her six first-half points in the second quarter

The Sparks shot 46.9% from the field and 40.0% from beyond the arc in the first half, assisting on 12 of their 15 made field goals

Hamby recorded 10 points and five rebounds in the half, both team highs

Third Quarter:

Sims made a five-foot driving jump shot to give Sparks the first points of the third. She led Los Angeles with six points in the quarter

Forward-center Azurá Stevens recorded a game-high-tying four rebounds in the third quarter

The Sparks shot 47.1% (8-for-17) in the quarter

Fourth Quarter:

Stevens recorded eight points and four rebounds in the fourth quarter

Plum led the Sparks in second-half scoring with 13 points, with nine coming in the final quarter

Los Angeles came back to cut its deficit to 84-76 with 4:08 left after a Stevens bucket

The Sparks shot 47.1% (8-for-17) and the second half as a whole (16-for-34)

Main Takeaways:

Sims posted a season-high 15 points on 6-for-8 from the field, 0-for-2 from beyond the arc and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line

Hamby notched 14 points on 6-for-13 shooting, 10 rebounds, and six assists

Stevens earned her 14th career double-double (10 PTS, 10 REB) and second in the last two games

Los Angeles shot 47.0% from the floor in the game

The Sparks' bench scored a season-high 22 points, outsourcing the Aces' reserves 22-10

Pregame Sparks HC Lynne Roberts Quotes:

Head Coach Lynne Roberts

On creating a culture with the Sparks:

"It's been good and I do have confidence in my ability to [create a bond]. It just takes time, but we've got a good group and they're eager to succeed, they're eager to be coached, and so, if you can start with that foundation, the other stuff comes a little smoother when you don't have to deal with too much ego and all those things. But building a culture takes time and it's a process, and true change takes a couple seasons but we're in the process now of making those changes and changing how we operate, and how we win, and how we lose, and how we come to work everyday. But I've enjoyed this group a lot and they've bought in and that makes it a lot easier."

On her impression of the Aces this season:

"They've got Olympians and champions and MVPs and all the things, so they're good. There's a handful of teams in our league that have the majority of their core back and so many new coaches, myself included. But they're just established. They've got star power and they know how to win, so we've got our hands full."

Postgame Press-Conference Quotes:

Head Coach Lynne Roberts

On tonight's loss against the Aces and the team development:

"It's really hard not to be outcome-driven ... we have to be process-driven."

On how to stay strong defensively throughout the game:

"That's been something that we have struggled with, and we've got to do that. I do think tonight we played with urgency. We just kind of made some mistakes, self-inflicted mistakes. A team like Vegas is gonna make you pay every time, and they did. Every offensive rebound they got in the first half, they converted. They had 14 second half points, those types of things."

Kelsey Plum

On the first half:

"I think that you gotta come out and see what the defense is doing and try to take advantage of it, and I was really proud. I thought Odyssey came out, she was aggressive... I think the thing is that we continue, like Coach said, to get more cohesion and stuff. The best thing that I can do is set screens, move without the ball, get my teammates open, and the defense then has to adjust."

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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 31, 2025


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