Sparks vs. Dream Preview: Struggling Dream on a Losing Streak, Can Sparks Seize Victory at Home?

On September 2nd at 7 AM, the WNBA regular season continues with the Los Angeles Sparks hosting the Atlanta Dream.

The Sparks’ overall performance this season has been very poor, ranking last in the league with a record of 7 wins and 24 losses. Although there is still a theoretical chance of making the playoffs, it is now very slim. In their last game, the Sparks caused a major upset at home, defeating the league-leading Liberty 94-88. Both offensively and defensively, the Sparks are quite mediocre, averaging 79.3 points per game (ranked fourth from the bottom), conceding an average of 86.4 points per game (second-worst in the league), and having a net negative score of 7.1 points (worst in the league).

The Sparks’ top scorer is veteran Nneka Ogwumike, averaging 17.9 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, leading the team in points, rebounds, and steals. Rookie Jackson, Stevens, newly joined Sims also average double-digit scores, along with McDonald, Lexie Brown, and Nesbitt, the Sparks have a very dispersed offense. However, lacking a stable scoring point is the reason for the team’s frequent offensive outages. Currently, the Sparks are affected by injuries, with Brink, Brown, and Clarendon unable to play, while McDonald is questionable. Under these circumstances, Li Yueru may get more playing time. In the seven games after the Olympics, Li Yueru performed decently.

The Dream has previously suffered four consecutive losses, with a record of 10 wins and 21 losses, ranking ninth, one game behind the eighth-placed Sky, hovering on the edge of the playoffs. To make the playoffs, they cannot afford to lose any of their upcoming games. The Dream is the worst offensive team in the league, averaging only 75.9 points per game, ranked last, and conceding an average of 80.5 points per game.

The Dream’s top scorer is Alica Sykes, averaging 16 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. Layshia Clarendon averages 15.9 points and 4.5 rebounds, while veteran Tina Charles and Karima Christmas-Kelly also average double-digit scores. Additionally, Parker, Powell, and Caldwell all average over 6 points per game. From this perspective, the Dream is somewhat similar to the Sparks. Currently, Parker and Powell are on the injury list and will not be able to play in this game.

This season, the two teams have met twice, with the Dream winning both games by margins of 11 and 13 points respectively. Meeting again, the Sparks are playing at home, where five of their seven victories were achieved, and coming off a morale-boosting win against the Liberty, their goal in this game is definitely revenge.

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