LOS ANGELES — Despite trailing by 12 points heading into the fourth quarter, the Washington Mystics never gave up.
Washington guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough scored 17 points and threaded 4 assists, lifting the Mystics (5-15) to an 82-80 victory on Tuesday night versus the Los Angeles Sparks (4-15) at Crypto.com Arena.
The Sparks’ inability to seal the deal in the fourth quarter overshadowed an impressive first-half performance from LA, which held a five-point lead at halftime. As the Sparks’ offense ran dry in the fourth quarter, Washington capitalized with its 3-point shooting to pull itself back into the game. The Mystics finished the night shooting 46% from beyond the arc.
“[The Mystics] made big threes off slippage defensively, and mistakes made by our players and coverage in the fourth quarter,” said head coach Curt Miller postgame. “And that has been their recipe for their five wins.”
The Sparks’ struggle to close out winnable games has become a recurring theme. In the fourth quarter, Los Angeles’ undisciplined possessions—consisting of poor shot attempts, missed layups, and late transitions on defense—led to it being outscored 30 to 16 by Washington.
“I feel like we stop moving, and some of that is nerves,” Miller said.
On top of the woes, the Sparks shot just 61.1% from the free-throw line, missing valuable charity stripe shots in the final minutes. The Sparks also ended the night with 28 made field goals on 22 team assists.
Los Angeles’ main problem is not having a late-game option to produce offense in the clutch. The team merely relies on guard Aari McDonald and forward Dearica Hamby as its two primary options in the final minutes.
“We don’t have a one-on-one break-you-down guard … so it has to be a team effort, " Miller said.
Hamby gave it her all on the same night as she was named to the 2024 WNBA All-Star game, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, ultimately putting together her 12th double-double of the year. Yet, Hamby’s offense flamed out in the fourth quarter, as she scored her final two points with six minutes left in the game.
McDonald, who possesses great vision as a facilitator and can score, showcased her usual ability with 17 points and six assists on the night. But late in the game, the Mystics’ aggressive on-ball pressure hindered McDonald’s true shot-making ability.
The Sparks extended their losing streak to eight games and are now winless since June 9.
Next, the Sparks host the red-hot Las Vegas Aces (11-6) on Friday at 7 p.m.