Plum Backs Sparks as Toronto Tempo Vs Sparks Looms After 86-73 Win
toronto tempo vs sparks shifts into Friday with Toronto coming off its first franchise win and Los Angeles still searching for its first victory. The Tempo beat Seattle 86-73 on Wednesday, while the Sparks lost 87-78 at home to Indiana. That leaves one expansion team on the rise and one of the league's two winless clubs trying to steady itself.
Toronto Tempo's First Win
Marina Mabrey led Toronto with 26 points and hit 6 of 11 shots from 3-point range in the win over Seattle. Brittney Sykes added 18 points, and Julie Allemand had six assists after being taken with the No. 2 overall pick in April's expansion draft.
The 86-73 result gave Toronto its first franchise victory at home on Wednesday and sent the Tempo into Friday with a different kind of pressure. The group now walks into Los Angeles with a win already on the board and a roster that has shown scoring from multiple spots.
Kelsey Plum's Sparks Outlook
Kelsey Plum has carried the Sparks' attack so far, averaging 26 points per game, and she said she still expects the team to be in the playoffs. “I have all the faith in the world that when the regular season is over, we will be there in the playoffs and pushing. I have all the faith, it’s just the process,” she said.
Plum also pointed to the pieces around her, saying, “I think you’ve seen stretches of ‘oh wow’ this team has got pieces and is dynamic,” and, “We have scorers, different threats, different positions and when we’re locked in, especially defensively, we can be really good.” She added, “Flush last year, right,” and, “This is a new year.”
Los Angeles Short Handed
The Sparks enter Friday at 0-2, with Ariel Atkins out because of concussion protocol and Sania Feagin sidelined for a second straight game with a left leg injury. Nneka Ogwumike is averaging 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds, while Dearica Hamby is at 14 points and 6.5 rebounds, but Los Angeles is still scoring 78 points per game and allowing nearly 96.
That gap has left the Sparks trying to climb out of an early hole after last season's 21-23 finish and a franchise-record fifth consecutive missed playoff run. Friday's meeting gives them a quick chance to answer Toronto's momentum before the season can stretch that opening stumble into something heavier.
