LOS ANGELES — Both teams needed to win.
However, the Sparks could not overcome a poor-shooting game and Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas’ triple-double performance in an 86-82 loss Wednesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena.
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“I want to see us play with that urgency and intensity and execution for 40 minutes,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said before the noon tipoff from the franchise’s annual kids camp day game. “But both teams are starving and maybe the hungriest dog is going to win.”
The Sparks (10-16) now take a five-game losing streak into this weekend’s WNBA All-Star break. Rae Burrell finished with a team-high 20 points. Dearica Hamby had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Ariel Atkins scored 15 points. Nneka Ogwumike also had a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
The Mercury (10-18) are on a two-game win streak. Kahleah Copper scored a game-high 21 points. Thomas finished with 19 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds. Monique Akoa Makani scored 14 points and Natasha Mack added 10 points.
The Sparks finished shooting 40% (28 of 70) from the field, compared with 47% (35 of 74) by the Mercury, and committed 18 turnovers.
With the Sparks trailing 84-76 with 2:49 to play after Sami Whitcomb’s 3-pointer, Atkins drained her own 3-pointer to cut it to a five-point deficit. Hamby made 1 of 2 free throws and a Burrell layup cut it to 84-82 with 48 seconds to go.
Hamby missed a potential game-tying layup with 19 seconds remaining and Makani leaked out for a fast-break layup with 14 seconds left to secure the Mercury victory.
Sparks guard Kelsey Plum missed her 10th consecutive game as she continues to recover from a lower leg injury she suffered last month. The five-time All-Star is ramping up her rehabilitation, but no timetable for her return has been announced yet.
Cameron Brink, a third-year forward who is considered the Sparks’ best defensive inside presence, is nearing the end of playing on a minutes restriction. The 6-foot-4 rim protector finished with five points, four rebounds, three assists and one blocked shot in 19 minutes.
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Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said the games before and after the All-Star break are always tricky.
“These games are important,” Tibbetts said. “We’re still playing for something until they tell us we’re not. We want to be competitive just like us and about four other teams, we’re all battling for the eighth (playoff) spot, so as long as that carrot is out there, we want to continue to be competitive, be about the right stuff every day and compete at a high level.”
Hamby scored the Sparks’ first seven points, but they shot a paltry 26.1% (6 of 23) from the field early. They trailed 19-18 at the end of the first quarter.
Burrell’s buzzer-beating floater cut the Mercury’s lead to 43-41 at halftime. The Sparks slightly improved their shooting and finished the first half at 35% on 14-of-40 shooting, including just 4 of 17 (23.5%) from 3-point range.
Copper had a game-high 12 points at halftime, seemingly getting to the basket at will for high-percentage layups.
The Sparks will be off for the rest of the week for the All-Star Break and return to action when they host the New York Liberty on Tuesday. Ogwumike and Plum were selected as All-Star reserves.
Phoenix Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts said his team is still playing for the 8th seed in the playoffs.
The Mercury are currently 9-18 and 5 games back behind the Washington Mystics for the WNBA’s final playoff spot.
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Phoenix has 17 games remaining in the regular season. pic.twitter.com/nzHSj16VKW
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) July 22, 2026