Sparks Are Back and So Is the Smoke

July 28, 2025 | Edition #117
👋 Hey, Hoophead!

So often we talk about basketball like it’s all strategy and planning. And sure, most days it is. But then comes that one game, those wild few seconds, which flips the whole thing on its head. This weekend, even the mighty Lynx saw their home magic cut short, reminding us this league never stays still for long. Which also brings us to a squad that might be creeping up closer than anyone expected!

Let LA Spark Your Memory

The Los Angeles Sparks have been cooking lately. After four straight wins, they traveled to New York to face the defending champions and walked away victorious. After an up-and-down first half of the season, the Sparks are finally starting to catch fire, and it couldn’t be happening at a better time.

Back in May and June, a mix of injuries, coaching changes, and constant lineup shuffles left LA looking out of sync, especially on the offensive end. With no rhythm and a revolving door of rotations, they stumbled to a 5–11 record heading into July.

Fast forward a few weeks, and they’ve done something they hadn’t all season: won five straight games! And they’ve done it by playing their best basketball in years. This stat shows just how good the Sparks have been!

Now at 11-14 (three more wins than they managed all of last season!), the Sparks are just one game behind the Mystics and Valkyries for the league’s final playoff spot. We already know that Kelsey Plum has held it down, proving to be the best offseason addition for LA, and Rickea Jackson is heating up at the right time as well.

But the biggest boost might be on the horizon as Cameron Brink is almost back. After tearing her ACL last June, she’s finally been cleared and is working hard to return. That means Head Coach Lynn Roberts could soon face a tough call. With Plum, Jackson, Hamby, Stevens, and Allemand forming a solid five, someone’s role is bound to shift.

Either way, the Sparks shouldn’t just be in the playoff conversation…they might be ready to shake it up.

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Rickea’s Buzzer & Tina’s Swagger

Cold-blooded finisher. Los Angeles vs New York was a shootout from start to finish. With 16,024 fans packed into Barclays and just five seconds left on the clock, the scoreboard read 99-99. The Liberty had just clawed back. LA needed something big. And then, the ball found Rickea Jackson. Two seconds. That’s all she had.

She caught it in the post, squared up to Stephanie Talbot, and just forced her way in. She took the hit, twisted mid-air, and somehow floated in an off-balance, acrobatic layup as the buzzer went off. Look at these crazy celebrations after the game-winner!

The Liberty and the Barclays Center had no idea what just hit them. Rickea finished with a team-high 24 points on 9-for-15 shooting for the red-hot Sparks.

Fakes and finesse. Connecticut Head Coach Rachid Meziane’s been begging for a full 40-minute game from his squad all summer. On Sunday, everything finally clicked. In a dominant 95-64 win over the visiting Golden State Valkyries, it felt like the Sun were in control throughout. And leading that charge, of course, was Tina Charles.

Now, Tina’s been solid all season. But this one reached into her veteran bag. We’ve seen pump fakes. We’ve seen no-looks. Tina took it a step further and faked out two defenders with a move so smooth, so disrespectfully clean, you just have to replay it to believe it.

By the end of the night, Charles had tallied 24 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block in just 19 minutes.

📊 POLL OF THE DAY

How Serious of a Contender Is This LA Sparks Team?

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Last Poll’s Result: We asked, ‘Do You Think the Indiana Fever Can Win Without Caitlin Clark Long-Term?’ While 47% of you feel they can win ‘Maybe, but Not Against Top Teams,’ 32% also feel they’ve got enough depth to compete.

D.C.’s Quick Turn from Grit to Ashes

The Washington Mystics have felt the extreme highs and lows in a matter of a few days. One minute, the Mystics were riding high, pulling off a stunning win over Seattle, and the next, they were right back on the floor against the Mercury.

When Seattle walked into D.C. on Saturday, no one really gave the Mystics a chance. But they pulled it off, holding the Storm to just 32.8% shooting and walking away with a gritty 69-58 win. That win brought them to an even 12-12 record. But Sunday had other plans. And those plans wore Phoenix jerseys.

Washington actually looked solid early on, heading into halftime with a 46-42 lead. But the Mercury caught fire in the third quarter, shooting a jaw-dropping 73% while D.C. just kind of flatlined. Their rookie Sonia Citron was still at it, though. We saw her working on new aspects of her game! By the end of it, it was an 88-72 loss for the Mystics.

Speaking of setbacks, Chi-Town had one of their own. A Fever- Sky matchup without Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese was not your usual headline grabber. Both stars were sidelined, which meant this one was all about who could adapt. If you read our last edition, you won’t be surprised to see who did.

As has been the theme, Indiana adapted. They’ve had Chicago’s number all season, but one stat puts into perspective how one-sided this matchup has been. See for yourself.

Kelsey Mitchell wasn’t messing around. She dropped 35 points in under 30 minutes, making franchise history. Even though Chicago ended up on the losing side, 93-78, it wasn’t all gloom. Sky actually hit 10 threes on 52% shooting. Not bad for a team that was down to just eight fit players. In the end, Indy had the answers as they now move to 14-12.

 She Got Glam! 

Just another day of Sophie Cunningham throwing another internet favorite fit. On court, though, even without their superstar, Indy fans are still getting a show. Cunningham and the rest of the Fever crew are keeping things lively. But before tip-off in the Windy City, the squad had a very cool surprise meet. Smiles all around as they met a Grammy Award-winner. See the pictures here!

The Atlanta Dream Silence the Home Hype

So much for home-court magic.

We were all ready to celebrate another Lynx sweep at Target Center until Brittney Griner and the Atlanta Dream rolled in like uninvited guests and slammed the brakes on that perfect 14-0 home record. The Lynx took a tough 90-86 L on Sunday, their first at home this season.

The Lynx found themselves chasing shadows early, trailing by 14 at halftime. Queen Phee gave us a 32-point masterclass, rewriting the franchise history books again. Check out how she matched Minnesota icon Maya Moore.

But it wasn’t enough. The Dream slammed the door shut behind Griner’s dominant outing. She put on a show with a season-high 22 points, bullying her way through the paint like it was her own house. As many of you voted in the LITE edition yesterday, this season continues to be the most unpredictable in recent memory, and we’re loving it!

Meanwhile, down in Texas, it was the Aces who turned spoiler. The Wings had Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt and post-All-Star excitement in the arena, only to see Las Vegas walk into Arlington and flex their muscles.

Fun fact: Jewell Loyd came off the bench for the first time since 2019.

While everyone had their own moments, Dijonai Carrington, going up against her girlfriend on the other side, was met with pure “it’s all business” energy from her partner. Just look at this brutal block by NaLyssa Smith on Nai!

As Paige Bueckers sat out, the Wings offense couldn’t find its flow. A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young helped the Aces cruise to a 106-80 win. Dallas tried to rally behind Arike Ogunbowale (19) and Haley Jones (15), but it just wasn’t enough.

📝 More Stories to Check Out

  1. 5 Celebrities Who Consider Caitlin Clark More Marketable than Angel Reese - Full Story

  2. What Happened to the Game I Love?” Fans Slam Wings for Benching Fully Fit Paige Bueckers - Full Story

  3. Caitlin Clark Just Took Over Bookstores? Biographer Reveals Massive "Bestseller" Achievement - Full Story

  4. The Real Reason Behind Indiana Fever’s Last-Minute Signing - Full Story

  5. Azzi Fudd’s “Locker Room Chats” at Her Youth Camp Go Viral - Full Story

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories!

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