Sparks rout Fever to earn first win at home this season
An eventful Thursday night game that started with a tribute to Seimone Augustus and fans returning to the Los Angeles Convention Center was rounded out with a dominant Sparks 98-63 win over the visiting Indiana Fever .
The Sparks (3-3) rolled to the win, offsetting the absence of stars Chiney and Nneka Ogwumike sidelined by knee injuries.
The team closed the first quarter with a 10-2 run and never took its foot off the pedal. At halftime, Kristi Toliver showcased why she’s one of the top scorers in the league, leading the way with 15 points on five-of-eight shooting and two of five from behind the arc. Bria Holmes was close behind with 10 points on four-of-six shooting and a perfect two for two from deep while tallying six total rebounds. And although Te’a Cooper picked up three fouls in the first half, she was the aggressor on offense and defense throughout the entire game.
Twelve of her points came from inside the lane or from the free-throw line. All of her moves to the basket had a variation of an in-and-out cross or a hesitation cross.
The Fever’s offensive struggles helped pad the Sparks’ lead. They shot 34.3% from the field. The blunders for Indiana (1-9) on offense led to a disorganized defense that created lanes for the Sparks.
It was Sparks’ first home win of the season. The team will host Chicago on Saturday at noon on ABC.
The Dallas Wings beat the L.A. Sparks 79-69, snapping a four-game losing streak.
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