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The Los Angeles Sparks have been trying to finish out the 2024 season strong despite already being mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. They battled the Seattle Storm all the way down to the wire on Sunday before ultimately bowing out, 90-87. Despite the Sparks' loss to the Storm, veteran point guard Odyssey Sims spoke postgame about how she was actually encouraged by the loss.
“We play till the game is over, it doesn't matter if we're down 20, doesn't matter if we're down ten, the game is still going to be able to be played. We started off slow but I think we picked it up in the second half,” Sims said. “We were right there, but I'm happy with how everybody played, especially on the defensive end. We really showed that. That's the effort we should be getting at every single game, every single night for 40 minutes. So it definitely sucks that we lost tonight, but we're right there. I'm definitely excited that we're improving.”
Odyssey Sims has been an important, steady influence on the team since signing with the Sparks on a 7-day contract following the Olympic break. Sims was ultimately signed for the rest of the season amid the injuries/absences of Lexie Brown, Layshia Claredon and Aari McDonald.
Sims has appeared in 13 games for the Sparks this season, including eight starts. She's averaged 11.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.0 steals with splits of 44.7 percent shooting from the field and 82.9 percent shooting from the free-throw line. In the Sparks' loss to the Storm, she finished with 20 points, five rebounds and four steals.
Sparks hoping to finish season strong
Even though the Sparks were already eliminated from playoff contention, they came into their matchups against the Connecticut Sun and Seattle Storm treating them as if they were playoff series. They had a home and home set against the Sun and a home and away set against the Storm.
With the WNBA playoffs first round a best of three, it was like a playoff series. The Sparks lost all four games, but they were competitive. They battled and fought they just couldn't close out in the fourth quarter, something that's troubled them all season long.
Following their most recent loss to the Storm, Sparks head coach Curt Miller spoke about how he was overall pleased with the team's effort despite a slow start to the game.
“They played so hard for us in the second half and they played hard for each other. There was a lot more togetherness,” Miller said. “A big hats off in that locker room. Now we need to do it for 40 minutes and we would have come away with a win tonight. But they saw what they're capable of in that second half. I think they're proud of themselves and they should be.”
The Sparks have two more games left on their schedule before the end of the season. They play at home on Tuesday against the Phoenix Mercury and then end the year on the road against the Minnesota Lynx on Thursday.
