Sparks’ loss is one for books
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Shots weren’t falling, but several unwelcome franchise records did as the Sparks were routed by the Seattle Storm on Tuesday afternoon, 82-47, setting a new low for points scored and games lost in a row, a streak that now stands at six.
The Sparks (7-12) have been struggling since mid-June, dropping 10 of their last 12 but saved the dubious record-setting -- this also was the worst home loss -- for their largest crowd this season at Staples Center, an announced 13,092.
“It’s frustrating as a player to be out there and be a part of it,” forward Murriel Page said. “I mean, we want to get better. We don’t like to come out here and lose at home. We don’t like to go on the road and lose. We’re all winners, and we all want to win.”
When it will happen again, though, no one is sure.
“You can’t put a time on anything,” Page said. “I mean, all of us hope it’s tomorrow, all of us hope it’s the next game we play at home, but you don’t know. We want it to be tomorrow, but it’s not like you’re going to wake up and have it. It’s something we’ve got to continue to work on.”
The crowd, made up mostly of children attending a “camp day” promotional event, did its best to keep the noise meter moving on the overhead Jumbotron screen, but the Sparks gave them little reason to yell.
Forward Taj McWilliams-Franklin scored 10 points, but she was the only one in double digits. The rest of the Sparks’ offense came up empty, the worst showing since June 3, 2004, when the Sacramento Monarchs held them to only 51 points.
“We played not to lose, and we ended up losing,” McWilliams-Franklin said. “You have to play to win. You can’t play not to lose.”
The Storm (11-8) played without star point guard Sue Bird, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on her left knee Friday. But they hardly needed her. Forward Iziane Castro Marques scored 19 points and forward Lauren Jackson poured in 18 more, along with 13 rebounds.
Jackson, who has dominated the Sparks in the team’s previous meetings this season, came in to Tuesday’s game as the league’s leading scorer (22.6) and second-leading rebounder (9.3).
This was not the Sparks’ worst defeat. It was their second-worst. Ironically, both losses came at the hands of the Storm -- the worst coming on Aug. 6, 2003, by a score of 92-56.
This time, the Sparks shot under 30% for the first time this season, making 20 of 67 attempts (29.9%). They have made less than 40% from the field in five of their last six games.
Forward Sidney Spencer (1-7) and guards Sherill Baker (2-9) and Marta Fernandez (0-3) struggled.
“Again, another poorly played game by us,” Sparks Coach Michael Cooper said. “Consistency is what we’re trying to strive for. We’re not getting it yet, so we’ll continue to take our lumps.”
The Storm shot nearly 50% and have won six of their last eight games.
The Storm also got 12 points and five assists from guard Betty Lennox and center Janell Burse had 11 points. Seattle made nine of 20 three-point attempts and 11 of 13 free throws.
It was enough for the Storm to build up a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter and lead, 30-20, at halftime.
It got worse as Jackson, limited to six points and four rebounds in the first half, had nine points and seven rebounds in the third quarter as the Sparks fell far behind.
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