Headed Into the Game

The Los Angeles Sparks were the hottest team in the WNBA coming out of the all-star break. The Spark had immediately put their team back into playoff contention. With four straight wins, the Sparks seemed to be a changed team. However, Los Angeles has struggled in their last couple of games. The Sparks are currently on a 3-game losing streak. After their recent struggles, this game against the Indians Fever was a must-win. However, despite that Los Angeles continued their losing streak.

A Good Start

The Sparks played great for the majority of the game. They were able to jump out into an early lead. Los Angeles continued this dominance throughout the first half. For a large majority of the second half, Los Angeles was in complete control of the game as well. The team showed a lot of heart on the defensive end. On the offensive end, Los Angeles was careful. The Fever at 6-19 had one of the worst records in the league. Los Angeles appeared to be the better team.

However, that all changed in the final minutes of the game.

Fourth Quarter Meltdown

Los Angeles had a 72-64 lead with 3 minutes remaining in the game. In most situations, this is a safe lead in the WNBA. However, with a team that has been as inconsistent as Los Angeles no lead is safe. The Fever closed the game out on a 10-0 run. A deep Kelsey Mitchell jump shot started off the comeback. Teira McCowan was magnificent in the final minutes of the game.

McCowan attacked the rim and consistently got to the line. McCowan hit 3 free throws to help push the comeback. With 1 minute and 18 seconds remaining,  McCowan hit a three to tie the game. After a couple of poor possessions by both teams, McCowan was back to the free-throw line. At the line, she iced the game giving the Fever a 74-72 victory.

Key Contributors

McCowan finished with 15 points. A large majority of her points came in the final minutes. While McCowan's scoring was great, her largest impact was on the boards. McCowan finished with 19 rebounds, which matches her career-high. Another key player for the Fever was Mitchell. She finished with 25 points. Nneka Ogwumike was the leading scorer for the Sparks. Ogwumike finished with 17 points and 5 assists. Los Angeles will have a chance to bounce back in a game against the Lynx on September 2nd.