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    Sparks blown out by Aces, take 6-game losing streak into All-Star break
    • July 13, 2023

    Sparks forward Azura Stevens, right, tries to knock the ball away from Las Vegas Aces forward Alysha Clark during the first half on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young controls the ball as Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike defends during the first half on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    The Sparks’ Karlie Samuelson shoots during the first half of their game against the Las Vegas Aces on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring during the first half of their game against the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike handles the ball during the first half of their game against the Las Vegas Aces on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Sparks guard Zia Cooke drives to the basket as Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson (22) looks on during the first half on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young looks to pass the ball during the first half of their game against the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike attempts a layup during the first half of their game against the Las Vegas Aces on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon calls out to her players during the first half of their game against the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Sparks forward Azura Stevens handles the ball during the first half of their game against the Las Vegas Aces on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Sparks forward Azura Stevens drives to the basket as Las Vegas Aces center Kiah Stokes defends during the first half on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson grabs a rebound in front of Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike during the first half on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Sparks guard Jordin Canada drives to the basket as Las Vegas Aces center Kiah Stokes defends during the first half on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson controls the ball as Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, left, and Karlie Samuelson defend during the first half on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    The Sparks’ Rae Burrell drives to the basket as Las Vegas Aces center Kiah Stokes defends during the first half on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray controls the ball as Sparks guard Jasmine Thomas defends during the first half on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces center Kiah Stokes gestures after scoring during the first half of their game against the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    The Sparks’ Karlie Samuelson shoots during the first half of their game against the Las Vegas Aces on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson celebrates after scoring during the first half of their game against the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces owner Mark Davis looks on from a courtside seat during the first half of their game against the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Sparks guard Zia Cooke drives to the basket as Las Vegas Aces guard Kierstan Bell, right, defends during the first half on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum shoots in front of Sparks forward Azura Stevens, left, during the second half on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray looks to control the ball during the second half of their game against the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson shoots a free throw during the second half of their game against the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson walks on the court during the second half of their game against the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum drives to the basket as Sparks guard Jordin Canada defends during the second half on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson walks on the court during the second half of their game against the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson, center, smiles on the bench late in the second half of their blowout victory over the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum goes up for a layup during the second half of their game against the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson, center, smiles on the bench late in the second half of their blowout victory over the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

    Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson, center, celebrates on the bench late in the second half of their blowout victory over the Sparks on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

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    LOS ANGELES — Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson scored 16 of her game-high 25 points in the first quarter and finished with 12 rebounds, as the Sparks found themselves in a double-digit hole early and were blown out 97-78 – their sixth consecutive loss – on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

    “A’ja was stepping back in that 12- to 15-foot range. She was ramming it at us off the dribble,” Sparks coach Curt Miller said. “She was just showing you she’s one of the elite players in the world right now, period.”

    The short-handed Sparks (7-13), who trailed 54-31 by halftime and finished with 16 turnovers, were overmatched and head into this weekend’s WNBA All-Star break having lost nine of their past 11 games.

    “We haven’t quit,” Miller added. “We keep fighting and I think there’s a lot of growth from (Wednesday night) that we can take from. Azurá Stevens was great on the glass, her best game in a Sparks uniform.”

    The Sparks were led by Stevens, who finished with a season-high 22 points and 12 rebounds, for her second double-double of the season. All-Star forward Nneka Ogwumike was the only other Spark to score in double figures with 20 points (on 10-for-15 shooting) and 11 rebounds for her 11th double-double.

    Ogwumike said she’s enjoyed playing with great people during the first half of the season.

    “We want to see each other do well and we want to see each other fight out there on the court and be aggressive and also stand in our value,” Ogwumike said. “I think a lot of us come out here with a small bit of underestimation on an individual level and us realizing we’re here and we deserve to be here and putting that together into a team that is confident in what we do and how we do it.”

    The Aces (19-2) shot 54.4% from the field and had strong performances from Wilson (her 13th double-double on 9-for-14 shooting) and fellow All-Star guards Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray. Plum had 21 points, five rebounds, four assists and five steals. Young finished with 14 points and five assists, and Gray added 16 points and five assists, several of the no-look variety. Aces forward Candace Parker sat out her third consecutive game with a left foot injury.

    “Scheme-wise, I thought we could rotate to her harder as we tried to disrupt Jackie Young early in the game. It left us at times rotating off of A’ja and we have to rotate from behind,” Miller said. “Some of our rotations and schemes were a little bit late. Those are things that we can teach our team through film and show them but again you have to tip your hat to some of the shots that A’ja Wilson makes … there are a lot of players in this league that make open shots, what makes Vegas special is they make contested shots.”

    LA Sparks head coach Curt Miller talks about what he wishes his team could have down differently against Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson who dropped 16 points in the first quarter of the Aces 97-78 win at https://t.co/qiCMWv7WDv Arena Wednesday night. pic.twitter.com/JP6wygyxn0

    — John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) July 13, 2023

    The Sparks trailed 32-15 after the first quarter. The 6-foot-4 Wilson had 16 points and five rebounds in the first 10 minutes of the game as the two-time league MVP and WNBA All-Star game captain made seven of her first eight shots.

    The Sparks found themselves down by as much as 26 points in the second quarter, but they used a 10-1 run early in the third quarter to get within 55-41. That was the closest they would get the rest of the night, though, as the Aces countered with a 7-2 run to push their lead back to 62-43 lead with 4:47 left in the third.

    The Sparks trailed 80-52 heading into the fourth quarter.

    “The ups and downs always come but you always have to have the perspective of the bigger goal,” Ogwumike continued. “You have to have the perspective of the process and not arrest yourself to results and that’s something that I think we’re learning a lot about ourselves.”

    With a rotation of just nine players due to Layshia Clarendon (foot), Chiney Ogwumike (foot), Nia Clouden (knee) and Lexie Brown (non-COVID illness) recovering from injuries and illness, the Sparks were focused on execution, energy, and effort in their matchup with the top team in the league.

    “It’s executing the gameplan, coming out fighting, competing, giving energy to each other,” Sparks guard Jordin Canada said before the game.

    After the game, Sparks rookie guard Zia Cooke, who scored eight points off the bench, explained what she wants to see from her team after the All-Star break.

    “I want us to stand for togetherness,” Cooke shared. “No matter what happens, we’re going to stick together. For the next half of the season, we’re going to keep fighting the same way we did for the first half. This is a brand-new team and everything is new and we’re going to figure it out. Like I said, it’s been a lot of adversity but it’s nothing that none of us can’t handle so just staying together and pushing through every moment as a team.”

    The Sparks next play at the Minnesota Lynx (9-11) on Thursday, July 20.

    Zia Cooke explains what she wants the LA Sparks to stand for after the All-Star break in the second half of the season. #WNBA #WNBATwitter pic.twitter.com/4A4biYMNqP

    — John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) July 13, 2023

    ​ Orange County Register 

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