The Portland Fire head to Los Angeles to take on the Sparks for the teams’ first regular season meeting since 2002. L.A. holds an 8-1 record against Portland all-time, with each team looking to end a losing streak.

Scorching Spotlight - A Few Fire to Follow 
 

Sarah Ashlee Barker is averaging an efficient 10.4 points per game, shooting 52.7% from the field and 48.6% from three. Barker makes her return to Los Angeles after spending her rookie year with the Sparks. 

Bridget Carleton’s 13.9 points per game rank second on the team, and her 2.0 steals average stands top three in the league. The Iowa State product is a veteran voice for the young roster in her eighth WNBA season. 

Carla Leite leads the way for the Fire with 14.4 points and 5.1 assists per game, a key contributor for the newly revived franchise. 

Sparks in the Top 15 (rankings through June 5 games) 

Ariel Atkins – 4^th in SPG 

Cameron Brink – T-5^th in BPG 

Dearica Hamby – 9^th in OREB PG & FTA PG, 11^th in FTM PG, 13^th in RPG, 14^th in Efficiency PG & 15^th in DREB PG 

Nneka Ogwumike – T-5^th in 3PT%, 9^th in DREB PG, T-9^th in MPG & 12^th in RPG 

Kelsey Plum – 1^st in PPG and FGM PG, 2^nd in Efficiency PG & MPG, 3^rd in 3PM PG, 6^th in FG%, 7^th in APG, 8^th in FTA PG, T-8^th in FTM PG & 12^th in 3PT% 

Erica Wheeler – 12^th in APG 

Tale of the Tape (rankings through June 5 games) 

Both teams have shot well this season, the Sparks ranking third in FG% and the Fire placing sixth. Portland also ranks fifth in both 3PT% and FT%. In terms of Assist Ratio, Los Angeles comes in at sixth, while the Fire rank seventh. In terms of PACE, these teams differ, with Sunday’s home team ranking fourth and the visitors checking in at second-to-last in the W. The Fire rank third in scoring off turnovers per game, while the Sparks commit the second-most turnovers per game in the league. Both teams, in fact, have been turnover-prone, as the Fire are tied for third-worst in the turnovers per game department.