Sparks Drop Season Opener to Dallas Wings
May 15, 2021 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Los Angeles Sparks News Release
The Los Angeles Sparks tipped off the 25th WNBA Season Friday night against the Dallas Wings, falling 94-71 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Dallas Wings guard Allisha Gray led all scorers with 23 points. Sparks All-Star forward Nneka Ogwumike led all Sparks scorers with 18 points and eight rebounds. The Wings committed 27 turnovers, just six shy of the WNBA single-game record.
Los Angeles took a 27-20 lead after the first quarter. The Sparks forced 12 turnovers on the young Dallas Wings, and scored 12 points in the paint. Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike combined for 13 of the team's 27 total points in the first quarter.
C. Ogwumike scored her first WNBA basket in almost two years in the first quarter, and eclipsed 900 career points in the second along with 100 career assists. She also hit two 3-pointers in the game. As C. Ogwumike found her footing again, veteran guard Kristi Toliver and second year point guard Te'a Cooper clicked in the backcourt early in the game. With 4:45 to play in the first quarter, Cooper had a strong cross-court pass to Kristi Toliver who dumped the ball down low across the paint to a wide open N. Ogwumike, who finished the easy layup strong.
In the second quarter, the Wings stormed back, taking the lead 44-41 going into halftime. They outscored the Sparks 24-14, led by guard Allisha Grey with 15 points. Forward Kayla Thornton grabbed seven defensive boards. The Sparks kept it close, forcing 20 first-half turnovers, and setting a new Sparks record for turnovers forced in a half (the previous record was 16). They also kept the 2020 WNBA leading scorer Arike Ogunbowale to just three first-half points and 2021 first overall pick Charli Collier to just four.
The Wings started the second half opening up a 13 point lead at 62-49 with five minutes to play. Sparks guard Nia Coffey knocked down a pair of back-to-back three-pointers, and blocked a shot to cut the lead to 66-60. But Ogunbowale had ten points in the quarter in response to lead the Wings, and the Sparks trailed 70-60 after three quarters.
Kristi Toliver started out the fourth quarter with a turnaround jumper falling away from the hoop. The 13-year veteran now has over 4,200 career points. Toliver scored 11 points and knocked down two 3- pointers in the game. Dallas shot 88.8 percent from the free throw line, and 51.7 percent from the field. The Wings outscored the Sparks 22-9 in the fourth quarter to pull away the 23-point win.
The Sparks next game is at the Las Vegas Aces on Friday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. PT.
Women's National Basketball Association Stories from May 15, 2021
- Seattle Wins WNBA Finals Rematch, 97-83, over Las Vegas - Las Vegas Aces
- Dallas Wings Acquire Kristine Anigwe - Dallas Wings
- Storm Defeats Aces 97-83 to Open 2021 Campaign - Seattle Storm
- Chicago Sky Sign Brittany Boyd-Jones - Chicago Sky
- Sparks Drop Season Opener to Dallas Wings - Los Angeles Sparks
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