The LA Sparks vs Chicago Sky matchup was one of four WNBA games scheduled on Tuesday. Currently situated at the bottom of the standings in their respective conferences, both teams looked to climb back to .500 at the expense of the other.
Heading into the game, the Sparks (4-10) were on a three-game skid in which their average losing margin was 23.7 points. Similarly, the Sky (3-10) were coming off three straight losses, most recently a 93-80 setback against the Atlanta Dream this past Sunday. One of these teams, then, would be able to get back to the win column after the final buzzer sounded at Wintrust Arena.
In the end, it was the Sky that came out on top as they pulled off a 97-86 comeback victory in front of their hometown fans. Chicago's twin tower combination had a dominant performance as Kamilla Cardoso poured in 27 points on 10-for-15 shooting while Angel Reese had a double-double performance with 18 points and 17 rebounds.
Though the visiting team shot more efficiently from the field, Chicago limited LA to 26.9% from beyond the arc. The Sparks also committed six more turnovers and lost the rebounding battle 36-27. Azura Stevens led LA with 21 points and seven rebounds, though the 6-foot-6 center turned the ball over five times. Kelsey Plum had 20 points and five assists while Dearica Hamby added 15 points and seven boards.
LA Sparks vs Chicago Sky Player Stats and Box Score
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LA Sparks vs Chicago Sky Game Summary
The Sparks got off to a roaring start as they raced to a 29-17 lead at the end of the opening quarter. Stevens got both her inside game and her outside shots clicking to power LA's offense in the first 10 minutes of play. Chicago responded by turning in a better defensive effort in the second quarter, when they limited the Sparks to 19 points and cut the lead to six.
Chicago kept the buckets coming after the halftime break with Reese and Rebecca Allen getting points in the paint. Then, in the fourth quarter, a two-point Sparks lead went up in smoke as the Sky went on two decisive runs that put them in the driver's seat till the final buzzer.