The LA Sparks travel to Indianapolis to face the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday. This will be the second meeting between the two teams, with the last game yielding an 85-75 win for the Sparks.
Los Angeles' victory against the Fever was their last win, and they have since lost back-to-back games against the Chicago Sky and NY Liberty. Alternatively, the Fever have been undefeated since that loss and have clinched a silverware, defeating the Minnesota Lynx to lift the Commissioner's Cup.
In terms of the standings, the Fever (9-8) are seventh while the LA Sparks (5-13) are second from bottom in 12th place. Indiana will be looking to avenge their loss in this game and continue their winning run, while the Sparks will hope to repeat their success from their last meeting.
LA Sparks vs. Indiana Fever preview, predicted starting lineups, odds, and prediction
The inter-conference game between the Fever and Sparks is scheduled for tip-off at 7:00 p.m. ET. Fans locally can follow this game live on the WTHR Channel 13 and Spectrum SportsNet networks.
Viewers online can live stream the game by purchasing the WNBA League Pass on WNBA.com.
Here are the odds for the game listed at the time of writing:
Note: Odds are subject to change closer to tip-off.
LA Sparks vs. Indiana Fever preview
The LA Sparks have endured a rough season so far, with the California team yet to win two games in a row all season. Although missing key players like Cameron Brink and Rae Burrell, the team does have an experienced roster, including Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby. Despite this, the Sparks have a horrendous record and reflect a 3-7 record in their last 10 games.
Plum leads her team in scoring and assists with 20.1 points and 5.7 assists per game, while Azura Stevens has collected the most rebounds with 8.3 rebounds per game.
On the other hand, the Fever have had a mixed bag of results this season. They are locked in a battle for the playoff spot and sit six games behind the Minnesota Lynx in the standings. However, they did beat the leaders in the Commissioner's Cup and have a positive 6-4 record in their last 10 games.
Although Caitlin Clark is their marquee player, her lack of games has seen Kelsey Mitchell lead the team in scoring. The guard has averaged 19.3 ppg while shooting 45.4% from the field. Aliyah Boston holds the most rebounds for the Fever, recording 8.1 rpg.
LA Sparks vs. Indiana Fever starting lineups
While Rae Burrell has been reinstated to the team, Cameron Brink continues to miss games as she continues her recovery from an ACL injury. The Sparks lineup should be the same as from their last game:
The Fever will continue to miss the services of Caitlin Clark, who will miss her fifth straight game due to a groin injury. In her absence, this should be the Fever lineup:
LA Sparks vs. Indiana Fever betting tips
The lack of depth in the Fever wings should see Dearica Hamby continue her fine form. The forward offers odds of -135 for over 14.5 points scored, which is a great return. She recorded 25 points against the reigning champions in the last game and should have a similar outing in Indiana.
Kelsey Mitchell should be the favored pick for the Fever. With Clark set to miss out, the guard will see more of the ball in her hands and has been in fine form lately. Although bearing a +100 odd for over 20.5 points, this is a safe bet considering she has recorded that figure in her last three games.
LA Sparks vs. Indiana Fever predictions
The Fever should be seen as the clear victors for the game, but given the result in their last meeting, one cannot be too sure. After their win in the Commissioner's Cup, the team is high in confidence and should avenge their loss with a win on Saturday.