Sparks Postgame Notes & Quotes

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WNBA Los Angeles Sparks

Sparks Postgame Notes & Quotes

June 1, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Los Angeles Sparks News Release


Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final

Mercury 17 20 24 24 85

Sparks 27 23 9 21 80

Game Leaders

Sparks Mercury

Points Odyssey Sims (32) Satou Sabally (24)

Rebounds Dearica Hamby (8) Satou Sabally (9)

Assists Julie Allemand (6) Monique Akoa Makani (6)

First Quarter:

Guard Odyssey Sims scored the first points of the game with a three-pointer at 9:37, assisted by guard Julie Allemand, making her first start of the season Sims completed a three-point play to retake the lead, 13-12, at the 6:10 mark The Sparks outscored the Mercury by 10 points in the first quarter, holding the team to just 17 points Sims converted her third triple with 23 seconds left in the quarter to extend the lead to 10 points, ending the quarter 27-17. The veteran scored 14 (5-for-7 FG, 3-for-4 3PT, 1-for-1 FT) of the Sparks' 27 points in the quarter, also adding three rebounds, two assists and one steal The Sparks assisted on nine of their 11 made field goals and shot 11-for-21 from the field (52.4%) and committed just two turnovers Los Angeles limited Phoenix to 29.4% from the floor in the quarter Sims tied teammate Azurá Stevens for most points in a first quarter this season with 14

14 Q1 LA Odyssey Sims 06/01/2025 vs. PHX 14 Q1 LA Azura Stevens 05/18/2025 vs MIN 12 Q1 MIN Napheesa Collier 05/18/2025 at LA 12 Q1 LV Jewell Loyd 05/25/2025 at SEA 12 Q1 CHI Kamilla Cardoso 05/29/2025 vs DAL

Second Quarter:

Guard Sarah Ashlee Barker notched her first points of the game with back-to-back three pointers, extending the Sparks' lead to 15 and the Sparks' run to 22-7. Los Angeles led 40-25 Sims surpassed her season-high in scoring with 17 points in the first half, also dishing four assists The Sparks notched a season-high 50 first-half points (previous high was 46), while shooting 48.8% from the field. Defensively, L.A. limited Phoenix to 37 points at the break, the lowest total is has allowed an opponent all season Los Angeles outrebounded Phoenix in the first half (23-20) and recorded double the number of assists as its opponent (16-8) Allemand had a team-high and season-high five assists in the first half

Third Quarter:

Phoenix opened the second half on a 10-1 run Sims ended Phoenix's 10-1 run with a layup at the 6:41 mark, converting the Sparks' first field goal of the quarter. Sims scored six of the Sparks' nine points in the third The Mercury outscored the Sparks 24-9 in the third quarter

Fourth Quarter:

Sims completed a three-point play to open up the fourth quarter and cut Phoenix's lead to one. She scored 15 points in the second half and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and 7-for-7 from the free-throw line Hamby completed a three-point play to tie the game 74-74 with 4:11 left in the fourth quarter Plum hit four straight free throws to cut the deficit to two points with 1:25 left in the game Three Sparks players- Hamby, Plum and Sims - combined for 20 of the Sparks' 21 points in the final quarter

Main Takeaways:

In her 300th career WNBA game, Sims tied Renee Montgomery for 27th all-time in WNBA assists. She matched her season high in three-pointers made with three, set a season high in field goals made with 10 and established a season high in points with 32, the most points she's scored in a game since her rookie season (39) Plum and Sims each recorded a season high in rebounds with six and five, respectively In her first start of the season, Allemand recorded a season-high six assists and matched/set her season high in rebounds with five Barker was a game-best +13 in the game, also scoring six points and recording two steals There were 13 lead changes and seven ties in the game

Pregame Quotes:

Head Coach Lynne Roberts

On how to have a better third quarter against the Mercury than on May 21:

"Our group has to find a way to do the simple things consistently, whether that's transition defense, we have not been consistent in that. In this league, if you have three more minutes of a bad stretch with that, you're down ten suddenly. We have to be consistent in our ball screen coverages. We have to be consistent with moving the ball on offense... Offensively, [we're getting] away from what we're trying to do as a group... a little too much one-on-one. The ball gets sticky and then defensively, not having the intensity it takes for 40 minutes."

On Azurá Stevens' production this season:

"I'm happy with [ Azurá Stevens ]... She's shooting a tremendous percentage from three... She got good looks, and I have every confidence she'll hit them next time. There's always ways we can tweak and adjust things to where she's maybe getting utilized a little more."

On Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby's chemistry on the court:

"They obviously have on the board chemistry together, and they look for each other out there, which is great. I think both of them are going to have to adjust a little bit... because they're the other team's defensive focus, they're going to have to figure out how to get other people involved in more pick and rolls too... I think the more we can get other players involved... it's just going to open things up in the future. But we'll continue to add to the playbook and find ways to get them."

Postgame Press Conference Quotes:

Head Coach Lynne Roberts

On tonight's loss against the Mercury:

"It's frustrating, right? This is a competitive group. And I believe in them wholly. This game came down to us not shooting great. We had eight threes in the first half and we finished with eight... They made the same amount of field goals we did. They just hit four more threes. That's where we lost the game."

Kelsey Plum

On Odyssey Sims' performance:

"It's been phenomenal... [ Odyssey Sims has] been incredible. She's one of the fiercest competitors in the league, plays both sides of the ball, extremely physical, and very strong. She knocks people off their spot, even players that are bigger. I thought she did a great job tonight... [She's] always one of those people that you go into war with and you want her on your team."

On the new starting lineup:

"[ Julie Allemand ] coming back. Anytime that you're out and you come back, it's hard to try to figure out your rhythm, and I think that every game she's gotten better and better. She plays with great pace, that's something for us... She makes quick decisions, she's moving, she's finding people. O and I can play off the ball, [and] Julie can play on the ball."

Odyssey Sims

On her 32-point performance tonight:

"I just played basketball. It's a little bit more aggressive. I think the rim was kind of big for me today. It just stayed in that mode... I just wanted to keep my foot on their necks... We still have work to do. The good thing is it's early, but still work to be done. We're just gonna try to be better every game."

Game Recap:

LOS ANGELES - The Sparks fell to the Mercury, 85-80, in their 2025 Commissioner's Cup debut and second matchup against Phoenix in the season's first eight games.

In her 300th career WNBA game, guard Odyssey Sims tied Renee Montgomery for 27th all-time in WNBA assists. She matched her season high in three-pointers made with three, set a season high in field goals made with 10 and established a season high in points with 32, the most points she's scored in a game since her rookie season (39).

Guard Kelsey Plum and forward Dearica Hamby each contributed 15 points, with Hamby also adding eight rebounds. Both Plum and Sims recorded a season high in rebounds with six and five, respectively.

In her first start of the season, guard Julie Allemand notched a season-high six assists and matched her season high in rebounds with five. Meanwhile, rookie guard Sarah Ashlee Barker was a game-best +13 in the game, also scoring six points and recording two steals.

The Sparks scored a season-high 50 first-half points (previous high was 46), while shooting 48.8% from the field. Defensively, L.A. limited Phoenix to 37 points at the break, the lowest total it has allowed an opponent all season. There were 13 lead changes and seven ties in the game.

What's Next?: The Sparks head to Dallas for a matchup against the Wings Friday, June 6 (6:30 p.m. PT).

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