Sparks Postgame Notes & Quotes
June 24, 2025 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Los Angeles Sparks News Release
Los Angeles Sparks (4-11) at Chicago Sky (4-10)
Game 15 | June 24, 2025 | Wintrust Arena | Chicago, IL | NBA TV
Full Book
Postgame Press Conference featuring Head Coach Lynne Roberts, Azurá Stevens & Dearica Hamby
Game Leaders:
Sparks
PTS - Azurá Stevens (21)
REB - Dearica Hamby / Azurá Stevens (7)
AST - Kelsey Plum / Shey Peddy / Dearica Hamby (5)
Sky
PTS - Kamilla Cardoso (27)
REB - Angel Reese (17)
AST - Angel Reese (6)
First Quarter:
Forward-center Azurá Stevens opened the game's scoring with a triple at the 9:40 mark, assisted by forward Dearica Hamby
On the next Sparks possession, guard Kelsey Plum completed a three-point play to put L.A. ahead, 5-2
The Sparks scored on their first five possessions, leading 10-2 and forcing a Sky timeout with 8:37 left in the quarter
At the 7:19 mark, Stevens converted her second three-pointer of the game off an assist from forward Rickea Jackson
Stevens led L.A. with a game-high 11 PTS (4-for-4 FG, 2-for-2 3PT, 1-for-2 FT), three rebounds, two steals, two blocks and one assist
The Sparks led Chicago by as many as 12 in the first quarter and scored 29 points, matching their season high for a first quarter. Los Angeles led the Sky in fast break points 10-0, assisted on eight of 11 made baskets and shot 64.7% from the field and 42.9% from deep.
Second Quarter:
Guard Shey Peddy's jumpshot came via a Jackson assist at the 8:21 mark, the Sparks' first points of the second quarter
Guard Sarah Ashlee Barker scored Los Angeles' first three-pointer of the second quarter at the 7:43 mark off a Stevens assist. Barker sank two free throws on the very next possession to bring Los Angeles' lead to 36-30
Forward Liatu King contributed her first assist of the game on a Peddy reverse layup at the 5:42 mark
Stevens was 6-for-6 in field goals and 4-for-4 in three-pointers in the first half with 17 points, four rebounds and four blocks. The veteran came within one point of her scoring career high for a half (18)
The Sparks went 18-for-30 in field goals (60.0%) and 6-for-13 from beyond the arc (46.2%) in the half, also limiting the Sky to 39.5% from the field and 27.3% from deep. Los Angeles outrebounded Chicago in the first half 17-11
Third Quarter:
Hamby grabbed a defensive rebound and took it all the way for a fast break layup. She was fouled and completed the three-point play at the 8:24 mark
Plum stole the ball and then found Jackson ahead for a fast break left-handed fast break layup to put L.A. ahead 59-53 with 5:16 to go in the quarter
Hamby scored a team-high seven points (2-for-6 FG, 3-for-3 FT) in the quarter
Through three quarters, Stevens was perfect from the field (8-for-8 FG, 4-for-4 3PT)
The Sparks shot 52.9% (9-for-17) from the floor in the third
Fourth Quarter:
Center Mercedes Russell scored the Sparks' first points of the fourth with a floating jumpshot coming from a Jackson assist at the 8:28 mark
Chicago went on a 17-4 run between the the 8:51 and 3:35 marks of the fourth quarter
With her third basket of the game at the 2:44 mark of the fourth quarter, Peddy recorded a season-high seven points. Shortly after, the guard notched her fourth assist of the game, also a season high
Plum scored a team-high seven points in the fourth quarter, sinking all five of her free-throw attempts
In the second half, the Sparks recorded five steals, three more than the Sky and shot 9-for-9 from the free-throw line.
Main Takeaways:
Azurá Stevens is the first player in WNBA history to post 20+ PTS, 4+ BLK and 4+STL in a contest while shooting 70.0% or better from the field, also becoming the first ever to record 4+ 3PM, 4+ BLK and 4+ STL in the same game. With her second block of the game at the 5:18 mark of the first quarter, the veteran reached the 200-block milestone in her career. She tallied 21 points (8-for-11 FG, 4-for-7 3PT), seven rebounds, four steals, four blocks and two assists
Stevens also matched her career high in steals with four and recorded a season high in blocks with four, the most since Sept. 7, 2023 vs. New York Liberty. She also held the game high for three-pointers made with four and held the highest field-goal average with 8 of 11 shots made (72.7%)
Dearica Hamby posted 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks. The veteran's fifth assist marked the 600th of her WNBA career
Plum contributed 20 points and five assists, going a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line
Rickea Jackson matched her career high in assists with four
Shey Peddy recorded season highs in points (seven) and assists (five), also matching her season high in rebounds (four)
The Sparks shot 49.2% from the field, making 32 of 65 shots. L.A. also recorded seven blocks, a season high
Pregame Quotes:
Head Coach Lynne Roberts
On the importance of Pride Night:
"I think the WNBA has done a great job of social justice, and Pride Night is another great example of that. I think our league wants to be inclusive of everybody and provide opportunities for anybody to be supported and cheered and all the things. We're honored to be a part of it...We are celebrating every place we go, which is great."
On Emma Cannon's contribution to the team:
"Emma Cannon has been phenomenal... She's been great with us in the locker room. She's played a lot of years and has a lot of experience. She's a voice that everybody listens to [and] everybody respects her. [She is] just an incredible human being that I'm glad [is] in our locker room... She's going to make a heck of a coach someday, if she chooses to. She just understands what we're trying to do on both sides... She's been shooting the three pretty well for us, but defensively, she can come in and be a nice counterbalance to Azurá [Stevens], who's just a different style of player."
Postgame Press Conference Quotes:
Head Coach Lynne Roberts
On losing steam in the fourth:
"I think there's a few things. One, I think we're not getting stops. I mean, we gave up 30 points. That puts so much pressure on our offense to make shots, which we gotta be able [to do] to get stops in the fourth. Same thing against Minnesota. I think offensively, we got away from what was working. Just too much one-on-one. We had a big lead, and it wasn't from going one-on-one. So we've got to fix that and have some trust in the system and in each other and make sure we're getting great shots."
On giving Chicago Sky second chance points:
"That's what they're good at. We've known that. They just seem to be timely. They were super aggressive in the fourth... It'd be interesting to know how many [second chance points] came in the fourth... 12 offensive rebounds and 28 points, that's pretty crazy."
Azurá Stevens
On the Sky's scoring in the paint:
"They were just aggressive in the fourth, and it seemed like it was timely buckets that they got putbacks. I mean, specifically her [Kamilla Cardoso]. We just gotta do a better job next time, we play them in five days, so we gotta do a better job of limiting that, because that's where they got a lot of their points from."
Dearica Hamby
On the Sparks' offensive struggles late in the game:
"I don't think anybody has ill intention, but just trying to play hero ball, and obviously, people have had success at it at certain points. We gotta be more mentally tough to continue to play through that and continue to like Coach said, do the things that were working in the first half and not resort to one-on-one ball. And, I mean, quite honestly, we gotta shoot better. We can't have our starting five. At times go, and it's not just this game, but continue to shoot. Not efficient shots."
What's Next?: The Sparks complete their three-game road trip against the Indiana Fever Thursday, June 26 (4 p.m. PT) before returning home to play the Chicago Sky Sunday, June 29 (1 p.m. PT) on Candace Parker Jersey Retirement Day at Crypto.com Arena.
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