Sparks can’t catch the Fever

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Sparks came into Wednesday night looking for a response after their season-opening loss to the Las Vegas Aces.

They did not get the win, but they did show something different.

The Sparks fell 87-78 to the Indiana Fever at Crypto.com Arena, dropping to 0-2 on the season in front of an announced crowd of 12,605. Indiana improved to 1-1 behind Caitlin Clark’s 24 points and nine assists, while Los Angeles continued working through the growing pains of a new group still trying to find its rhythm.

After trailing by as many as 19 points, the Sparks cut the deficit to seven with 1:23 left in the game before Indiana held on.

Sparks Still Searching for Offensive Rhythm

The Sparks shot 49.1 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line, but three-point shooting remained a concern. Los Angeles finished just 2-for-15 from beyond the arc, while Indiana made nine threes. Head coach Lynne Roberts said the Sparks are still a work in progress offensively.

“We’re a work in progress on that side,” Roberts said. “We need to be shooting more. But in a spaced-out offense, we’ve got to be able to knock down more threes.”

The Sparks found offense in stretches, especially late, but Indiana controlled enough of the game with pace, spacing and Clark’s ability to create pressure from almost anywhere on the floor.

Clark and Mitchell Carry Indiana

Clark led Indiana with 24 points, nine assists, four rebounds and two steals, while Kelsey Mitchell added 23 points as the Fever earned their first win of the season.

Clark’s scoring drew the attention, but her playmaking helped Indiana control long stretches. After the game, Clark said her focus has been on impacting the game beyond shooting.

“I haven’t shot the ball as well as I would have liked the first two games, but my shot feels great,” Clark said. “The best thing I can do for this team is play-make. I can score the ball, I can make threes, but what I can do best for this team is make plays for my teammates.”

Clark said getting downhill opened up more options for Indiana.

“When I get my feet in the paint, good things happen,” Clark said. “I can get to the free-throw line, I can finish well around the rim. I feel like my speed and my burst is back.”

Indiana led 48-34 at halftime and pushed the lead to 56-39 in the third quarter. But Clark acknowledged the Fever slowed down late.

“We struggled, especially there in the fourth, to kind of get the ball popping the way we were in the first half,” Clark said.

That opened the door for Los Angeles to fight back.

Nneka Keeps Setting the Standard

Nneka Ogwumike continued to give the Sparks leadership in her second game back with Los Angeles.

Ogwumike finished with 10 points, five rebounds, three steals and one block. She also moved into fifth place in WNBA history in defensive rebounds, passing Sparks legend Lisa Leslie.

Before the game, Roberts praised Ogwumike’s leadership and presence.

“Leadership is unparalleled,” Roberts said. “She has a presence and a gravity to her, but also a grace in which she presents things.”

That presence continues to matter for a Sparks team trying to build chemistry quickly. Ogwumike has already shown she can be a stabilizing voice, but the Sparks are still learning how to turn those moments into full-game consistency.

Plum Carries the Scoring Load Again

Kelsey Plum led the Sparks with 25 points on 9-for-16 shooting, adding four assists. Through two games, Plum is averaging 26 points while shooting 51.4% from the field.

But Plum was not satisfied with her scoring.

“To be honest, I don’t really care about scoring a lot of points,” Plum said. “I’m just more frustrated with myself with turnovers and trying to figure out the spacing and the timing.”

Plum said there were possessions where the Sparks were close to creating good looks, but the timing was slightly off.

“I feel like for me, I’m going to go back, watch the tape, figure out windows that I missed, or what to do differently, and go from there,” Plum said.

Her scoring has been there. Now the challenge is making the rest of the offense easier for everyone around her.

Brink Gives Sparks a Defensive Spark

Cameron Brink gave the Sparks one of the clearest signs of progress in the loss.

Brink finished with 11 points, five rebounds and three blocks. She also finished with a plus-two rating, the second-best mark on the team. Her three blocks moved her into a tie with Christi Thomas for 10th on the Sparks’ all-time blocks list.

One of her biggest moments came in the first quarter, when she delivered a block that woke the building up. It was not just a stat. It gave the Sparks a burst of energy, and for a team still trying to find its defensive identity, that matters.

Roberts pushed back against any idea that Brink was off to a slow start.

“Cameron Brink didn’t have a slow start,” Roberts said. “We played two games and she had a great game today. Nothing. She’s doing great. We got to stop the narrative.”

Brink said her defense helps fuel the rest of her game.

“I’m a defensive-minded player, so I feel like that’s what gets me going,” Brink said. “If I’m super locked in and just loud and talking on defense, I feel like that can build the team.”

She also pointed to the Sparks’ fight, even in the loss.

“I’m really proud of the way we fought back today,” Brink said. “We’re going to be better.”

Cover Art/Lead photo: Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever goes to the basket against the Los Angeles Sparks during an WNBA game played at Crypto.com Arena on May 13, 2026. Photo credit: Ronny Ramsey / News4usonline