Sparks Look to Upset Storm After Ogwumike’s Dominant Night
Alright, let’s talk about one of the most exciting matchups in the WNBA this weekend—Seattle Storm hosting the Los Angeles Sparks. The buzz going into this game is all about Nneka Ogwumike, who just dropped 26 points in Seattle’s dominant 101-85 win over the Connecticut Sun. She's been on a tear lately and has really become the backbone of Seattle’s offense.
So here's the setup. Seattle is sitting at 16-11 overall and 9-6 in conference play, which is pretty solid in the Western Conference. They’ve been sharing the ball really well too—averaging over 21 assists per game—and that’s mostly thanks to Skylar Diggins, who's dishing out nearly six assists a night. Diggins herself is putting up 11.8 points per game over the last ten, so she’s been a reliable playmaker.
Now, the Sparks come in with an 11-15 record and a rough 3-11 performance against Western Conference teams. Defense has been a bit of a struggle—they’re giving up over 87 points a game and are typically outscored by almost three points per contest. But they’ve been hot offensively in their last ten games, averaging nearly 90 points on a scorching 48.1% shooting from the field. That’s better than Seattle’s shooting percentage over the same stretch.
Also Read:- Panthers Eye Eighth Straight Win as Titans Hold the Line Early
- Giants Shuffle Infield as Kadowaki Returns to Starting Lineup
Players to watch? Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby have been leading the Sparks’ offense. Plum’s putting up over 20 points a game and adding six assists, while Hamby’s right behind her with 19.4 points and nearly 8 rebounds per game recently. Meanwhile, Azurá Stevens has also been quietly excellent, contributing almost 15 points and nearly 9 boards.
This is actually the second meeting between these two teams this season. Last time, back in June, Seattle crushed L.A. 98-67. That game? Yep—another 26-point performance from Ogwumike. It looks like she’s got the Sparks’ number.
One interesting stat is that while the Sparks shoot slightly better overall—around 45.5%—Seattle’s defense has been holding opponents to under 43% from the field. So it’ll be interesting to see how L.A.’s offensive rhythm holds up against that.
The Storm will be without Katie Lou Samuelson due to a knee injury for the rest of the season, but the rest of their core is ready to go. As for the Sparks, they’re coming in healthy and looking for some payback.
Tip-off is at 10 p.m. Eastern from Climate Pledge Arena. If you’re a fan of fast-paced, high-scoring games with some serious star power, this is one you won’t want to miss.
Read More:
0 Comments