Sparks:

The Sparks continue their homestand with a pivotal matchup against the Fever as the WNBA playoff race heats up. With eight games remaining, Los Angeles currently sits ninth in the standings and only two games behind Indiana.

On Tuesday, the Sparks fell 92-84 at home to the Mercury despite strong performances from Dearica Hamby, Rickea Jackson and Kelsey Plum who each scored 20+ points. On the night, LA shot 47.7% from the field and 88.2% from the free-throw line but ultimately couldn’t catch up to Phoenix.

The three-time WNBA champion Sparks rank second in the league in points per game and field-goal percentage, third in three-point percentage and are tied for fourth in assists per game.

Fever:

Indiana enters Crypto.com Arena sitting in sixth place, having dropped six of its past nine contests. The Fever’s most recent contest was an emphatic 95-75 home win over the Storm, who currently occupy the eighth and final playoff spot.

The victory not only vaulted Indiana past Seattle and Golden State in the standings, but it also showcased their offensive depth. Three Fever players recorded 20+ point outings of their own while the team led by as many as 32, outscoring Seattle by 18 in second chance points and by 14 in points in the paint.

Indy is fourth in points per game and three-point percentage and third in field-goal percentage.

The History: Sparks vs. Fever

The Sparks lead the Fever 42-16 in their head-to-head history and have won all three matchups this season.

Players to Watch:

Sparks:

Dearica Hamby and Kelsey Plum, the highest-scoring teammate duo in the W this season, who combined for 45 Tuesday, average 38.5 points per game as a pair. 

Rickea Jackson has led the Sparks in scoring against the Fever in two of the three matchups this season. In their most recent faceoff, last year’s All-Rookie forward notched 25 points on 10 made field goals. The Sparks are 8-1 this season when Jackson scores 20 or more points.

Fever:

Kelsey Mitchell is averaging 24.3 PPG against the Sparks, notching 34 points last time out against LA. Mitchell ranks third in scoring this season at 20.7 PPG, trailing only Napheesa Collier and A’ja Wilson. The eight-year guard also leads all players in the W this season in three-pointers made with 97.

Aliyah Boston is averaging 15.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG and 3.6 APG. The No.1 pick from the 2023 WNBA Draft has stepped up in the absence of Caitlin Clark, who is set to miss her 17th consecutive game. 

Odyssey Sims finished with 22 points and six assists in the team’s most recent game. Friday night’s matchup against the Sparks will be the former Sparks’ first time facing L.A. since her departure.