LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Sparks are currently mired in an eight-game losing streak. The skid began at the beginning of their recent seven-game road trip back on June 11 against the Seattle Storm. The Sparks most recent loss came at home against the Washington Mystics on Tuesday, a game they lost after leading in the fourth quarter. At practice on Saturday, Sparks head coach Curt Miller as well as Aari McDonald spoke about the reason for the team's struggles.
The Sparks have been unable to close games out and that was on full display against the Mystics. Despite leading by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter, the Sparks were outplayed down the stretch and outscored 30-16 in the final period en route to a loss.
Aari McDonald, who is in her first season with the Sparks, is a four-year veteran having played the first three seasons of her career with the Atlanta Dream. During her career so far, she sees the inability to close games as being something that young teams are going to experience.
“I think that's gonna happen, it's a tough league. Teams are gonna make their runs and we know that,” McDonald told ClutchPoints during Sparks practice. “When they make their run, that means it's time for us to tighten up our defense and be able to execute. But we're watching film, and we're literally right there. We just got things to clean up and we just got to make winning plays. Honestly that's what it comes down to.”
Sparks coach Curt Miller coached young teams with Connecticut Sun
For Sparks head coach Curt Miller, this isn't the first time he's coached a young, developing team. His first head coaching job in the WNBA was with the Connecticut Sun during the 2016 season. That year the Sun had future WNBA stars Alyssa Thomas, Jonquel Jones and Chiney Ogwumike in the early portions of their careers.
That first season, the Sun finished with an overall record of 14-20 and missed the playoffs. Jones was a rookie, Ogwumike was only in her second year in the league while Thomas was in her third. Eventually, that team became a perennial WNBA Finals contender.
While the situations and personnel are obviously different, it's similar in the sense that Miller understands the growing pains associated with such a young team.
“The natural progression is finding composure and the confidence that you can get to the finish line. And then knowing who to play through, what are the actions that give the team on the floor the most comfortability that we can get the ball to people we want in good positions,” Miller said following Thursday's practice. “We've got to find some composure, handle physicality, handle when teams turn it up.
“Those late game situations get intense and we're a little tired, it makes teams stagnant with a little bit of uncertainty on how to finish games out, or a lack of confidence on how to finish games out. You start to get stagnant. And that's what we've got to stay away from in being stagnant in those big moments.”
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