The Sparks Are the WNBA's Worst Defense (Even With Plum Back!) and That's the Real Problem For Portland

Alright, Emerald City faithful, listen up! While our teams are grinding, there's some wild stuff happening on the hardwood that's got everyone talking, especially with Sunday's slate. The Portland Fire, in their debut season no less, are staring down a three-game losing streak for the first time ever! And who are they facing? The Los Angeles Sparks, who are already on a three-game skid themselves! Get this: Kelsey Plum, their absolute bucket-getter and league-leading scorer, came back Friday after missing two games with a right ankle injury, dropped a cool 27 points, and the Sparks still lost at home, 104-96! You gotta be kidding me!

Can We Talk About That Sparks Defense?

Seriously, what's going on in LA? Kelsey Plum, a legit scoring machine, drops 27 points and dishes out six assists, right on her 26.9 PPG season average, in her first game back from a right ankle injury. Ariel Atkins added 16, Dearica Hamby had 15, and Nneka Ogwumike put up a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Coach Lynne Roberts even said, "The ball was moving, we had balanced scoring, and that's how we want to play" about their offense. But here's the kicker: they're still 4-6 and the worst defensive team in the entire WNBA, coughing up an average of 93.0 points per game! Ogwumike hinted at it, saying they're "trying to figure it out, adding new pieces," and talking about building trust. It sounds like a total mess on that end of the floor, even with their star back in action. Dropping 104-96 at home with Plum playing? That's just rough.

The Fire Are Fumbling at the Worst Time

Now, let's pivot to our neighbors down south, the Portland Fire. They started their debut season strong, reeling off three straight wins in late May, which is awesome for a new squad! Their head coach, Alex Sarama, even snagged WNBA Coach of the Month for May when they went 6-4. But since then, it's been a tough stretch, going 1-3. Their Friday loss to the Phoenix Mercury was a gut punch, 78-72 at home. They shot a dismal 42.1 percent from the floor and, get this, committed 22 turnovers that led to 23 Mercury points. Twenty-two turnovers! That's just unacceptable. It was one of their lowest scoring games this season, and all three of those low-scoring outings have happened in their last five games. Carla Leite leads them with 14.4 PPG and Bridget Carleton adds 13.9, but Carleton was held to a season-low six points on 2-of-9 shooting against the Mercury. Sarah Ashlee Barker, a former Sparks pick who came over in the expansion draft, was their only starter in double figures with 15 points. Sarama keeps saying, "It's a process. It's creating that culture," and he's not wrong, but the numbers are getting harder to ignore.

So, What's Next for Sunday?

Both these teams are desperate for a win. The Fire are trying to avoid an embarrassing three-game slide in their first season, while the Sparks are just trying to stop the bleeding, period. With the Sparks' defense looking like a revolving door and Kelsey Plum back to her scoring ways, the Fire's turnover problem and recent offensive woes could spell disaster. It's a battle of who can get out of their own way first, and Sunday's game feels like it could set the tone for the next few weeks for whoever walks away with a W. You know I'll be glued to it!

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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.