LOS ANGELES — Every game matters. From start to finish, the Sparks played with an urgent, fevered pace and brought home their seventh win in their last eight games, earning a 100-91 victory over the Indiana Fever in nationally televised game at Crypto.com Arena Tuesday night.
It was the Sparks’ fourth time scoring at least 100 points in the past five games.
Kelsey Plum (25 points and 11 assists), Rickea Jackson (25 points and five rebounds), Azurá Stevens (19 points and five rebounds) and Dearica Hamby (16 points and seven rebounds) combined for 85 of the team’s 100 points.
The Sparks outscored the Fever by a 28-16 margin in the second quarter to seize early control of the game and shot 56.1%, making 37 of 66 attempts in the game, including 13 of 26 (50%) from 3-point range.
“It was our energy and I think that is the difference between us winning and losing is really our energy and our intensity,” Plum said. “Shots fall, don’t fall but at the end of the day, we had an energy about us that won us this game.”
However, the Fever, who were led by All-Star guard Kelsey Mitchell, clawed back and cut the Sparks’ lead to 65-59 with 4:48 left in the third. The Sparks responded and established a 76-64 lead at the end of the third.
The Sparks secured the win with a 14-2 run to begin the fourth quarter, capped off by a Jackson 3-pointer, for a 90-68 lead with 6:22 to go.
“I feel like as a group we’re just playing together,” Jackson said. “I feel like we’re very dangerous and our momentum and our energy is really good right now and like coach Lynne said we’re not flinching.”
However, the Fever cut the Sparks’ lead to 95-89 with 2:09 to go on a 3-pointer by former Sparks guard Aari McDonald.
Stevens knocked down a corner 3-pointer to go up 98-89 with 1:17 remaining.
The Sparks improved to 13-15 overall and 3-0 against the Fever this season. They are now one game in the win column out of playoff position with 16 games remaining.
“I think we’ve got enough pieces and talent to make a playoff run,” Roberts said. “I really do. We just have to keep our foot on the gas.”
They came into the contest with a 3-9 home record, which at 25% was the worst in that category across the league.
“I’m not going to buy into the narrative, and I’m not going to let them buy into the narrative that we’re not good at home, just quit it,” Roberts said before the game. “Quit thinking about it. Change it. Don’t give yourself a hook to hang an excuse on.”
Sparks forward Cameron Brink, who played in her third game of the season, is still on a minutes restriction after returning from a torn ACL injury that took 13 months to rehabilitate. Brink did not score and missed all six of her shots, including two 3-pointers but contributed a game-high five blocked shots and three rebounds in 16 minutes.
The Fever (17-13) were led by Mitchell with a game-high 34 points. Natasha Howard had 17 points and seven rebounds. All-Star Aliyah Boston had 15 points and nine rebounds. McDonald added 15 points, six assists and five rebounds.
Meanwhile, Fever All-Star guard Caitlin Clark missed her eighth consecutive game with a right groin injury. Clark’s coach Stephanie White explained how the All-Star is becoming a better player while being sidelined.
“You feel things differently when you’re on the floor and you see it differently on the sideline,” White said. “I think that for her to be able to look at it in a different way, to be able to see how her teammates have elevated, to see different ways that when she gets back that she can put them into positions to be successful that she might not have noticed on the floor.
From the start, both teams pushed the pace and fired away from beyond the arc. The Sparks shot 50% from the field early but trailed 27-26 at the end of the first quarter. Jackson had eight points but the difference was the Fever made all four free throws and the Sparks attempted none.
“We’ve got to defend the 3-point line well,” Roberts continued. “It seems like when they really get going, they’re hitting from 3 and that can be from anybody. I think we’ve got to do a good job of keeping them off the free throw line.”
However, Coach Roberts said the knife cuts both ways in playing an opponent for the third time in over a month.
“I think we do well when we’re hitting 3s and we’re getting to the free-throw line, so it might be a battle of wills in those regards,” Roberts explained.
The Sparks extended their lead to 49-38 when Plum drained a 3-pointer with 2:57 remaining in the first half. They led 54-43 at halftime. Hamby and Plum each had 14 points in the first half. Mitchell had 13 points.
“I think the balance is what makes it tough,” explained Roberts when asked if Jackson, Plum, Hamby and Stevens scoring 85% of the team’s points is sustainable.
The Fever, who came into the contest on a five-game winning streak, were a league-best 8-2 over their last 10 games. The Sparks were 7-3 over that span.
UP NEXT
The Sparks will host the last-place Connecticut Sun (5-23) on Thursday at 7 p.m. The game will be locally televised on Spectrum SportsNet.
Los Angeles Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts’ pregame press conference on hosting the Indiana Fever, who are on a 5-game winning streak.
Coach Roberts also talked about Cameron Brink’s defense, Rickea Jackson’s versatility and the recent signing of Alissa Pili. pic.twitter.com/7v3v5VaUQM
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) August 6, 2025
Stephanie White on Caitlin Clark learning to look at the game like a coach while sidelined with a right groin injury.
Coach White also talked playing through Aliyah Boston and former Sparks guard Aari McDonald’s impact on the Fever. #WNBA #IndianaFever #CaitlinClark pic.twitter.com/L9zWiycaEs
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) August 6, 2025