LOS ANGELES — Azurá Stevens scored 14 of her 21 points in the first quarter but the Sparks, who only played seven players, suffered a 89-75 loss to the Minnesota Lynx in the team’s home opener at Crypto.com Arena Sunday.
Dearica Hamby added 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Sparks, who lost their first home game under new coach Lynne Roberts.
The Sparks (1-1) trailed 70-62 heading into the fourth quarter and were outscored by a 19-13 margin in the final 10 minutes.
Sparks guard Kelsey Plum scored 18 points on 5 of 14 shooting from the field (3 of 9 from 3-point range) and fouled out with 3:32 left in regulation.
The Sparks entered the game down to nine active players, including starters Odyssey Sims, Plum, Rickea Jackson and Hamby and Stevens. Jackson left the game in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury to her face.
Rookie guard Sarah Ashlee Barker and veteran center Mercedes Russell were the first two and only reserves to enter the game. Barker scored six points off the bench.
“I want us to compete,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said before the game. “You can’t let someone come in and play harder than you on your home court and expect to win, when they’re already expected to win.
“But it’s early in the season. We’re focused on ourselves… I’m really focused on getting our players a little bit better every time.”
Minnesota, which reached the WNBA finals last season, was led by forward Napheesa Collier with 12 of her 23 points in the first quarter. Center Alanna Smith added 15 points. Guard Courtney Williams scored 13 points and had nine assists. Reserve center Jessica Shepard had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
“We know who we are,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said pregame. “We know our identity. We know that every single time we play a basketball game that we’re expecting greatness. It doesn’t mean we have to do extraordinary things. We’re a team that wants to do the little things extremely well.”
The Lynx (2-0) began the game on an 8-1 run. However, Stevens drained her third corner 3-pointer, which put her team up 17-14 with 4:31 left in the first quarter.
Stevens finished the first with 14 points on 5 of 5 shooting from the field, 3 of 3 beyond the arc, but trailed 30-25 heading into the second quarter.
Plum’s 3-pointer put the Sparks up 32-30 with 7:24 left in the second quarter. However, the Sparks trailed 46-45 at halftime. The Sparks’ starters scored 44 of the team’s 45 points in the first half.
Minnesota began the second half on a 9-2 run, establishing a 55-47 lead with 7:15 left in the third quarter. They outscored the Sparks by a 24-17 margin in the third and led 70-62 heading into the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, Sparks guard/forward Rae Burrell, the organization’s 2022 first round draft pick and key reserve backcourt player, missed the game with a right leg injury that she suffered in Friday’s season opening win against Golden State. The team said she is expected to make a full recovery but will be out six to eight weeks (late June to mid-July).
The Sparks will play at Phoenix on Wednesday.
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