Kelsey Plum scored 37 points during his beginnings in Los Angeles and the Sparks ruined the beginnings of the Golden State Valkyries with a victory of 84-67 Friday evening in San Francisco.
Plum carried out 11 of the 19 attempts to go on the field, including four 3 points, and overthrew the 11 attempts at free throws while falling three points from its career in career. She also contributed six assists and five interceptions to help the Sparks win their first match under the new coach Lynne Roberts.
Dearica Hamby recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds and Rickea Jackson added 13 points for Los Angeles, which comes out of an 8-32 franchise season. Azura Stevens had 11 points for sparks.
Tiffany Hayes raised 19 points and nine rebounds for Golden State, the first WNBA extension franchise since 2008. TEMI Fagbenle added 15 points and Julie Vanloo scored 14 on the bench for the team trained by Natalie Nakase.
Los Angeles pulled 46% of the field and was 7 out of 19 on a 3 -point range.
The Valkyries made 36.5% of their attempts and were only 9 out of 35 of the arc.
The sparks led 42-39 at halftime before Plum exploded with 17 points in the third quarter.
Plum scored 12 of these points during a thrust of 15-3 to transform the three-point lead of his team into an advantage of 62-47 with 3:11 to do in the quarter.
Vanloo was suddenly hotter than lava while drilling three 3 points in 44 seconds while the Valkyries moved in six with 2:07 to play.
Los Angeles led 66-60 entering the final stanza. But a flight and ay-up under the basket by Sims and five consecutive free throws by Sims (three) and Plum (two) helped the Sparks to take an advantage of 73-62 with 5:18 in the competition.
A 15 feet of Plum pushed the Los Angeles, the head of 80-65 with 2:12 on the left. She crowned her big outing with a lay-up with 52 seconds to play.
Plum had 11 first half points to help Los Angeles led by three at the break. Fagbenle had 13 in half for Golden State.
The Sparks lost Rae Burrell to a potentially serious injury to the right leg lower than the first quarter. Burrell was swept away by two of his teammates.
– field level media
